DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 377 844 IR 055 271

AUTHOR Nichols, Margaret Irby TITLE Selecting and Using a Core-Reference Collection. Second Edition. INSTITUTION State Library, Austin. Dept. of Library Development. PUB DATE 93 NOTE 78p. PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom Use (055) Reference Materials General (130)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC04 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Library Acquisition; Library Collection Development; *Library Material Selection; Purchasing; *Reference Materials; *Selection Tools; User Needs (Information) IDENTIFIERS 'Core Collections

ABSTRACT Corereference collections are the small number of sources whichmeet the basic needs of all libraries, and the purpose of this guideis to assist libraries in the selection, acquisition, and use of these resources. Section I,structured like an annotated bibliography, focuses on the selection of those works which should constitute the main reference holdings in a small library, or a ready-reference collection in a larger library. Sources aredivided into the following classifications: general works, biography, religion, language, literature, visual and performing arts, history, statistics, political science and law, geography, education and careers, business, home life and social customs,sports and recreation, and science and technology. Authority, accuracy, currency, and convenience of arrangement arethe .criteria used to choose reference works for inclusion, and because some areexpensive, cost is also considered. Section TI is designed to helpsmall libraries in the acquisition process. Some works are recommended to be purchased on a regular basis--annually, biennially, or every2 to 5 years. The remaining titles are arranged into five groupsaccording to estimated reference value in descending order ofimportance. Section III, containing nine exercises on using basic types of resources such as almanacs, , anddictionaries, is intended to improve search skills and demonstrate the special value of certain reference works. (MAS)

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Second Edition

by

Margaret Irby Nichols

Texas State Library Austin, Texas 1993 Nichols, Margaret Irby Selecting and using a core-reference collection / by Margaret Irby Nichols. -- 2nd ed. --Austin, Tex. : Texas State Library, 1993. v, 67 p. 28 cm. Includes indexes.

1. Reference books--Bibliography. 2. Reference books--Problems, exercises, etc.I. Texas State Library. II.Title. 011.02 N517s 1993

4 0 Margaret Irby Nichols TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface iv

Section 1: Sources

A. General Works 1

Almanacs 1 Directories 2 Encyclopedias 2 Periodical Indexes 4

B. Biography 5

C. Religion 7 Mythology and Folklore 8

D. Language 9 Unabridged Dictionaries 9 Desk Dictionaries 9 Synonyms 10 Slang 11 Language Usage 11 Style Manuals 11

E. Literature 13

Biographical Sources . 14 Quotations 15

F. Visual and Performing Arts. 17 Fine Arts 17 Decorative Arts. 17 Music 17 Theater 18 Film, Video, and Television 19

History 20 World 20 20

Texas . 21 H. Statistics 22

J. Political Science and Law 23 Nations of the World 23 United States 23 Texas 24 Law 25 Parliamentary Procedure 26

K. Geography 27 Gazetteers 27 Atlases 27

L. Education and Careers 29

M. Business 31

N. Home Life and Social Customs 33 Anniversaries and Holidays 33 Consumer Information 33 Cooking 34 Etiquette 34 Gardening 34 Home Maintenance 34

P. Sports and Recreation 36

Q. Science and Technology 37 Health and Medicine 37 Automotive Repair 38

Section 11: Priority Rating of Sources

R. Purchase Plan 44 Introduction 44 Sources in Order of Estimated Reference Value 46

Section 111: Reference Book Exercises

45 Introduction.. .

S Almanacs 47

ii T. Periodical Indexes 49

U. Biography 50

V. Encyclopedias 52

W. Statistical Sources 54

X. Atlases 55

Y. Dictionaries 56

Z. Quotation Sources 58

AA. General 59

Title Index 60 Subject Index 66

iii PREFACE

This guide represents an extensive revision of the first edition, compiled for the Texas State Library in 1986, and distributed to libraries throughout the state. The purpose remains the same: to assist libraries in the selection, acquisition, and use of acore-reference collection.

A "core-reference collection" is identified here as a small number of sources which will meetthe basic needs of libraries of all sizes. Large libraries will, of course, supplement this core with additional materials, selected to meet the needs of their patrons. Because of limited funding, small libraries must choose only the most essential reference works. In one of the 10 Texas library systems, one-fourth (22 of 86) serve a population of less than 5,000, andreceive an average of $2,911 locally for collection development ($270 to $7,516 range), supplemented by an averageof $3,500 from the System. If 10 to 15 percent of the overall average collection development money is spent on reference material, only $640 to $960 per year is available. This guide is designed specifically to help these small libraries select a reference collection which will meet their most essential needs.

Section I focuses on the selection of those works which should constitute the main reference holdings in a small library or a ready-reference collection in a larger library. The second edition is more:extensive than the first--105 annotated sources, compared to 76 in the original work. In addition, there are more frequent notes (68 compared to 25) citing another 75 reference titles (50 in the first edition), which may be substituted for those recommended in the text or be purchased in addition to them. An attempt was made to provide a balanced collection covering the most basic subject areas.

The "core-reference collection" includes sources such as indexes to periodicals and encyclopedias which either identify or contain information on current issues (AIDS, the environment, the crisis in the American educational system, alcoholism, etc.) and on popular topics such as health, pregnancy and child care, and literary criticism. Somebasic works covering specialized areas are included in this listing, but all needs cannot be met even in the smallest library by these basic sources. All libraries have individual needs which may differ fromthose of their neighbors of comparable size. Reference Books for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries, 2nd edition, by Margaret Irby Nichols, also published and distributed by the Texas State Library, is designed to meet more extensive needs. When the small library requires additional or specialized sources,the selector should turn to the more extensive guide for suggestions.

9 iv The reference works chosen for inclusion in this guide are those which meet the usual selection criteria: authority, accuracy, currency, and convenience of arrangement. Although many items are expensive, cost also was a consideration in making recommendations. In the chapter on literature, for example, the ongoing Gale collections of literary criticism or the Scribner's sets on authors are not included, since their cost would be prohibitive for small libraries. The Wilson Author Series is included because it contains both biographical and critical material and is far less costly. Because of cost of equipment and the products themselves, CD-ROM products are not listed. There is information about these works and many CD-ROM products in Guide to Reference Books for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries.

Section II of the guide is designed to help small libraries in the acquisition process. Some works should be bought on a regular basis--annually, !.-ic..nnially, or every two to five years (Groups Al- A4). Other titles are divided into five groups ((Jroups Bl-B5) in order of estimated reference value. The 22 titles in Group Bl are recommended as first purchases, followed by those in each of the remaining groups, Group B2 before Group B3, etc.

Section III, which contains nine exercises on using basic types of sources--almanacs, encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc.--is intended for library workers who are new to reference work or those with experience who wish to review using the basic types of reference books. Each exercise begins with a brief discussion of the type of reference source, followed by a number of reference questions similar to those asked in libraries. The aim of the exercises is to improve search skills and to demonstrate the special value of certain reference works.

A title and subject index conclude the guide.

Denton, Texas Margaret Irby Nichols May 1, 1993

4

V SECTION I: SOURCES A. GENERAL WORKS

Almanacs

Al. Information Please Almanac. Houghton Mifflin, 1947 to date. Annual. 1993 ed., $15.45; $7.70pa.

This annual duplicates much of the data contained in World Almanac (A3), but the differences justify its purchase Chronologies, directory information, statistics, and maps receive considerable attention. Recent special features include a job outlook to 2005, an environmental quality index, a statistical profile of the United States, and discussions of travel scams and mutual fund basics.

.A2. Texas Algyanac: State Industrial Guide. Morning News, 1857 to date. Biennial.1992/93 ed., $15.75; $10.95pa. ISBN 0 -91451 1 -14 -9; 0-914511-15-7pa.

Well established as an essential reference book in area libraries, this almanac provides detailed coverage of Texas government, economic and social statistics, and historical information. Major sections include: an outline of Texas history; a listing of Texas counties and towns with basic directory and statistical data; a listing of boards and commissions, with addresses and key personnel; information about state government, finance, agriculture, and many other topics.

A3. World Almanac and Book of Facts. World Almanac/Pharos Books, distr. by St. Martin's Press. 1868 to date. Annual. 1993 ed., $16.95; $7.95pa.

The best known and most useful American almanac, this work is an indispensable quick- rference source.It offers factual and statistical data on educational, political, economic, social, religious, historical, industrial, and auricultUral topics. Among its useful features are a chronology of the previous year's events, major actions of Congress and decisions of the Supreme Court, and obituaries of deceased notables. Each annual is extensively indexed, making the contents easily accessible.

Note: The Universal Almanac ( City, MO: Andrews & Neel. Annual. 1993 ed., $19.95, $12.95pa ) began in 1990.It is a worthwhile supplement to Information Please Almanac and World Almanac Directories

A4. City directories.

Despite the problems city directories foster (telephone requests for "near-bys"), libraries should hold their local city directory. Each library should set its own policy concerning city directory information provided over the telephone.

AS National Five Digit ZIP Code and Post Office Directory. U.S. Postal Service. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1974 to date. Annual. (Available at main post offices.) 1993 ed., $15 S/N 039-000-00198-2

This annual provides a comprehensive listing of ZIP code information for all post offices and street addresses in the United States and for APO's and FPO's. Arrangement is by states, and then cities and towns, broken down by streets. The smaller directory, which the post office also publishes, should not be purchased, since it omits street address codes. Mailing information and current postal regulations also are included in the large directory.

A6. Telephone directories.

Libraries should hold the local telephone directory and those for nearby cities, especially for large metropolitan areas in the region. Telephone companies vary in their willingness to provide free directories. They respond best to a formal written request.

A7. Where to Write for Vital Records: Births Deaths Marriages, and Divorces. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Division of Vital Statistics. U.S. Government Printing Office. $1.75 S/N 017-022-01109-3

This essential source contains unique information on obtaining the types of important documents named in the subtitle--where to write, cost, and other pertinent information.

Encyclopedias

A8. Americana. Grolier, Inc. 30 vols. Write for price information.

Americana is a reliable, authoritative, and objective set, which is suitable for adults and students from junior high school through college. Coverage is international, but information about United States history, biography, and geography is more detailed. Articles in the set are essentially specific topic in approach, averaging about 600 words in length, but some are lengthy., covering as many as 200 pages. All major articles and many shorter ones are supported by reading lists. The clearly written text is enhanced by appropriate illustrations, charts, diagrams, and multicolored maps. An analytical index containing 353,000 entries provides access to the 52,000 articles.

2 1.3 Note: Libraries able to afford more than one adult set may wish to buy The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th ed. rev., 32 vols. (Britannica Educational Corp. Write for price information.) the oldest, most famous, and most scholarly encyclopedia. Academic American Encyclopedia, rev. ed., 21 vols. (Grolier, Inc. Write for price information.) is another worthwhile set, but intended for a more popular student and adult audience than Britannica.It contains specific entry articles, supported by an unusually large number of colorful and appropriate illustrations. Collier's Encyclopedia, 24 vols. (Macmillan Educational Corp. Write for price information), also popularly written, is another useful set for junior and senior high school students and adult readers.

A9. World Book Encyclopedia. 22 vols. World Book (Write for price information.)

This outstanding set is appropriate for upper elementary grades through high school and for adults seeking basic information. The contributors are recognized scholars and subject experts, and all articles are signed. Entries, written in a lively and interesting style, address the group most likely to read them. Bibliographies are appended to major articles, and there also is an annotated list of materials on over 2,000 topics in the index volume. The set is extensively and appropriately illustrated--29,000 illustrations and over 2,000 maps. There are numerous how-to-do-it articles, pronunciations of unusual or unfamiliar names, lists of specialized terms, and numerous other special features. The set is heavily cross- referenced and well indexed.

Note:If a set which focuses on the needs of elementary schoolchildren is required, select from New Book of Knowledge, 21 vols. (Grolier. Write for price information.), considered a first choice; or Children's Britannica, 20 vols. (Encyclopaedia Britannica. Write for price information.), a new set which has been well received.

Other sets intended for the same audience as World Book, but which do not have its reputation are: Merit Student Encyclopedia, 20 vols. (Macmillian Educational Corp. Write for price information.); and Compton's Encyclopedia and Fact Index, 26 vols. (Encyclopaedia Britannica. Write for price information.) Both are of excellent quality and deserve consideration when additional sets are needed.

If encyclopedia annuals are purchased, choose either Americana Annual or World Book Annual, but both are not needed. One title should be selected, purchased regularly, and retained indefinitely, for the in-depth information on that calendar year. Most information contained in annuals, which are similar in content, will not reappear in future editions of the parent set. Encyclopedia yearbooks, moreover, do not keep the parent set up-to-date as the publishers are prone to claim. An eight-year-old set of encyclopedias, supplemented by annuals for succeeding years, does not provide a current articleon chemistry on any other rapidly changing topic. Periodical Indexes

MO.Abridged Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. H.W. Wilson, 1960 to date. Monthly except June, July, and August. (Indexing for these months is included in the September issue.) Permanent bound annuals cumulation. 1993 price, $90/yr

This abridgment of Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, the most basic index to general periodi ''als for libraries of all sizes, is designed to meet the needs of small school and public libraries.It currently indexes 65 titles, judged to be of general reference value, and which represent balanced subject coverage. The primary purpose of the index is to provide author and subject access to the contents of selected periodicals, but it also is useful as a selection aid in building a balanced periodical subscription list.Small libraries able to subscribe to only a few of the magazines included will find the indexing useful for interlibrary loan purposes.

4 B. BIOGRAPHY

B1. Concise Dictionary of American Biography. 4th ed. Scribner's, 1980.1,536p. $150 ISBN 0-684-19188-1

This condensed version of Dictionary of American Biography (Scribner's, 1927 to date, 10 vols. and 8 supplements, $1,499), the leading work of its kind, contains more than 18,000 brief entries on people covered in the original set and its eight supplements, all of whom were deceased by 1971. The biographees are men and women who made a significant contribution to American life--explorers, frontiersmen, artists, scientists, craftsmen, business leaders, statesmen, clergy, and soldiers, as well as savory characters, such as criminals and other infamous individuals. Entries for the most important persons contain critical data and information on influence and character. Entries for less significant persons are briefer. The work is supported by an occupational index.

Note: Notable American Women, 1607-1950 (Belknap Press/Harvard University Press, 1971. 3 vols. $45pa. ISBN 0-674-6274) and Notable American Women: The Modern Period (Belknap Press/Harvard University Press, 1980. $50; $19.95pa. ISBN 0-674-62732-6; 0-674-62733-4pa.), modeled after Dictionary of American Biography, consists of 1,259 long, signed articles in the original three volumes and 442 more in the supplement.

B2. Current Biography. H.W. Wilson, 1940 to date. Monthly (except December). $58/yr. Yearbooks. $58/yr. Cumulative Index, 1940-1990. 1991.133p. $25 ISBN 0-8242-0819-6

Current Biography appears in two forms: a monthly periodical and a yearbook in which the year's sketches are arranged alphabetically. Small libraries may subscribe to both formats, but if one is chosen, the yearbook is preferable. More than 200 persons are included each year: politicians, diplomats, scientists, writers, musicians, professional athletes, motion picture and television personalities, and other notables. The biographical articles, which range from one to several pages, are vivid, informative, and accurate. Essays recount the subject's career, and frequent quotes reveal the biographee's opinions and personality. A recent photograph, address, and references to additional sources are provided. The annual volume gives death notices for those who had appeared in earlier yearbooks. Indexing is by name (for the current volume and several previous years) and profession. Libraries holding a number of volumes from 1940 to 1990 may wish to purchase the cumulative index for those years.

Note: Newsmakers: The_People Behind_Today2s Headlines (Gale. Quarterly. $89/yr. Annual cumulations, $89/yr) is similar to Current Biography, but strives to include notables not covered by its competitor.

B3. Webster'5 American_BiogLanies. Charles L. Van Doren, ed. Merriam Webster, 1975. 1,248p. $21.95 ISBN 0-87779-253-4

5 16 This work treats some 30,000 notables, living and dead, in entries that range from a paragraph to a column in length. Subjects chosen are drawn from all occupations--politics and government, fine arts and literature, science and technology, etc. Indexing by professional and geographic location is provided. Despite its age, this work continues to be useful.

B4. Webster's New Biographical Dictionary. Merriam Webster, 1988.1,152p. $24.95 ISBN 0-87779-543-6

Brief entries cover some 40.000 persons, from all countries and all times. Emphasis is on British and American figures. Entries vary from a few sentences to a page and provide pronunciation, dates, and the chief contributior.s for each person. Though useful as a quick reference book, the work should be completely revised; since it appeared in 1940, the periodic updating has been superficial. Libraries holding a reasonably current edition, therefore, may not wish to purchase the latest edition.

Note: Libraries needing other biographical sources may wish to consider these twoinexpensive publications: The International Dictionary of 20th Century Biography by Edward Vernoff and Rima Shore (New American Library/Dutton, 1989. 736p. $12.95pa. ISBN 0-452-00952-9pa.), which gives brief data on 5,600 twentieth-century notables, living and deceased; and World Almanac Biographical Dictionary (Pharos, 1990. 390p. $19.95 ISBN 0-88687-564-1), which provides brief sketches for some 8,000historical and contemporary figures.

Other worthwhile biographical sources include: Who's Who in America 1989-1991: Junior and Senior High School Version (Marquis Who's Who, 1989. 4 vols. $79pa ;set), which includes 6,000 of the most prominent actors, musicians, authors, artists, professional sports figures, and other notables, selected from the 77,000 included in the biennial Who's Who in America.

6 C. RELIGION

Note: Different versions of the Bible and other religious works may be required in the reference collection. These should be chosen according to community preference.

Cl. The Facts on File Dictionary of Religions. John R. Hinnells, ed. Facts on File,1984. 560p. $40 ISBN 0-87196-862-2

Concise, well-written articles, directed toward lay persons, cover the world's major religions--Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and Hindu--new movements, primitive religions, and magic and the occult. Emphasis is on the cultural and historical background of each religious group. The alphabetical arrangement is supported by frequent cross- referencing and a synoptic index.

Note: Dictionary of Comparative Religions, S.G.F. Brandon, gen. e.l. (Macmillan, 1970. 704p. $60/lib. bdg. ISBN 0-684-31009-0), a comparable but more scholarly work, may be needed by some libraries.

C2. Handbook of Denominations in the United States. 9th ed. Frank S. Mead. Rev. by Samuel S. Hill. Abingdon, 1990. 336p. $13.95 ISBN 0-687-16572-5

Entries, which treat the history, basic beliefs, governmental organization, and statistical data of some 225 American churches, are arranged by denominations, with those closely related appearing in family groups. New features of this edition include essays on religious movements, discussions of ecclesiastical terms, and added attention to evangelism and fundamentalism. Addresses for denominational headquarters are in the appendix.

Note:If more current directory and statistical data on denominations is required, Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches (Abingdon, 1916 to date. Annual. $29.95pa. ISSN 0195-9034) should be purchased at least occasionally.

C3..Harper's Bible Dictionary. rev. ed. Paul J. Achtemeier and Society of Biblical Literature. Harper San Francisco, 1985. 1,178p. $39.95/thumb indexed ISBN 0-06-069863-2; $37 95/plain 0-06-069862-4

Since this work appeared in 1952, it has become a standard for the lay person. The latest edition covers all people, places, and events mentioned in the Bible, theological terms, words used in the Bible in unusual or important ways, and archaeological sites. The 3,700 entries are alphabetically arranged and are supported by some 500 illustrations (50 of which are maps). tables of archaeological sites, and an index.

7 13 Note: Harper's Bible Commentary by James L. Mays and others (Harper San Francisco, 1988. 1,326p. $39.95/thumb indexed ISBN 0-06-065542-9; $37.95/plain 0-06-065541-0), a companion volume to Harper's Bible Dictionary, contains long essays which focus on Biblical meaning and interpretation.

C4. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with the Exclusive Key Word Comparison. rev. ed. James Strong, ed. World Bible, 1986. $29.95 ISBN 0-529-06679-3

A concordance refers the user to the location in a work where specific words appear. Strong's, which is based on the King James Version of the Bible, provides scripture references to that , as well as a "key-word comparison," which enables the reader to compare the of controversial words and phrases in five contemporary versions of the Bible. The words of Jesus are printed in red.

Note: Libraries requiring an additional Bible concordance should consider An Analytical Concordance to the "Revised Standard Version" of the New Testament by Clinton Morrison (Westminister, 1979. 800p. $20 ISBN 0-664-20773-1). A Dictionary of Quotations from the Bible by Margaret Miner and Hugh Rawson (New American Library/Dutton, 1988. 305p. $4.95pa. ISBN 0-451-16550-0) is another useful Bible reference tool.

Mythology and Folklore

C5. Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, & Legend. Maria Leach, ed. Harper San Francisco, 1984. $34.95pa. ISBN 0-06-250511-4

The current edition of this work, a reissue with minor corrections of a two-volume set published in 1949-50, is a standard reference source. Survey articles discuss countries, cultures, people, ethnic groups, etc., and provide comprehensive coverage for fairy tales, ballads, and dances, and concise treatment of gods, heroes, songs, tales, customs, beliefs, themes, and other topics.

C6. The Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Myths & Legends. Macmillan, 1989. 256p. $29.95 0-02-580181-3

The cultural section covers religions, mythology, and legends of areas of the world and includes maps, a chronology, and color photographs. A second section identifies heroes and deities, giving their myths and regions. A "micropedia" contains short, alphabetically arranged entries for names and places. This handsome volume will serve a wide range of users from junior high school level through adults.

Note: The Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend by Anthony Mercatente (Facts on File, 1988. 807p $95 ISBN 0-8160-1049-8) is highly recommended for libraries able to afford it. D. LANGUAGE

Unabridged Dictionaries

DI. Random House Dictionary of the English Language. 2d unabridged ed. Stuart Berg Flexner, ed in chief. Random House, 1987. 2,478p. $89.95 ISBN 0-500-50050-4

This dictionary emphasizes words in current use. Some 300,000 entries include biographical and geographical names, foreign words and phrases, abbreviations, popular proverbs and mottoes, and titles of major literary, musical, and artistic works: Definitions are arranged according to their frequency of use. Unlike many other current dictionaries, the work applies usage labels such as "vulgar," "slang," "informal," and "offensive." Illustrative phrases, synonyms and antonyms, and pictorial illustrations also are included. Some 400 pages of additional materials comprise the appendix: four concise bilingual dictionaries for Spanish, Italian, German, and French; an atlas section and separate gazetteer; numerous lists such as those for islands, rivers, colleges and universities; signs and symbols; and other miscellaneous data.

Note: Random House does not compare in comprehensiveness with Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Philip Babcock Gove and the Merriam Webster editorial staff, eds. (Merriam Webster, 1981. 2,662p. $99.95 ISBN 0-87779-206-2), the largest and most prestigious dictionary published in the United States. Random House, however, is more current and will meet the needs of most public library patrons. Webster's Third, which has not been completely revised since 1961, is supported by addenda pages in more recent printings and 12,000 Words: A Supplement to Webster's Third New International Dictionary (Merriam Webster, 1986. 212p. $10.95 ISBN 0-87779-207-0). The Supplement should be purchased by libraries holding older printings of Webster's Third.

Desk Dictionaries

D2. Webster's New World Dictionary. 3d ed. Victoria Neufeldt, ed. Webster's New World; distr. by Prentice Hall, 1988. 1,574p. $17.95 ISBN 0-13- 949280-1

This excellent desk-type dictionary emphasizes current written and spoken English. The 170,000 entries include people, places, foreign words and phrases, slang and colloquial words, abbreviations, and legendary, Biblical, and classical names. Definitions, arranged in historical order, are precise and readable. Americanisms are marked with a star. Restrictive labels ( "slang," "vulgar") are applied to nonstandard words and usages. This work is not as well-known as Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, but it is more up to date and, indeed, preferred by many users.

D3. Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary. 9th ed. Frederick C. Mish, ed Merriam Webster, 1987.1,568p. $19.95/ thumb indexed ISBN 0-97779-509-6

9 Based on Webster's Third, this desk dictionary emphasizes contemporarypronunciations, .definitions, and usage. The 160,000 entries list all definitions inhistorical order. New to this edition is a dating system which indicates the first use of aword and each added meaning. It also contains short discussions under entries for wordscommonly misused or which have disputed usage. Sections in the back presentinformation not included in the main alphabet: foreign words and phrases, biographical andgeographical names, and lists of colleges and universities. Also included are signs and symbols, ahandbook of style, abbreviations, and symbols for chemical elements. This is one ofthe best abridged dictionaries and a must for all libraries.

Note: Other recommended desk dictionaries include AmericanHeritage Dictionary of the English Language, 3d ed. (Houghton, 1992. 2,140p. $39.95 ISBN0-395-44895-1); and Random House Webster's College Dictionary, rev. ed. (Random House,1991. $20/thumb indexed ISBN 0-685-56462-2; $17.50/plain 0-679-41420-7).

Note:Selection of foreign language dictionaries should be based on need.Both HarperCollins and Cassell publish bilingual (English/Spanish, Spanish/English)dictionaries for many languages.

Synonyms

D4. Roget's International Thesaurus. 5th ed. Robert L. Chapman,ed. HarperCollins, 1992. 1,347p. $18.95/thumb indexed ISBN 0-06-270014-6;$17.95/plain 0-06-270046-4

The current edition of this famous work is a thorough revisionof the 1977 edition. Arranged by topics or ideas suggested by words, it uses the systemdesigned by Peter Mark Roget in the 19th century. An alphabetical index of all wordstreated rel;Ns to the numbered category of each. The 250,000 synonyms and related words arelisted with the most common or important in bold face type, but nodiscrimination or discussion of differences is offered. There are numerous other thesauri which bear the nameRoget in their titles, but this one is the best and most current.

D5. Webster's New Dictionary of Synonyms: A Dictionary of DiscriminatedSynonyms with Antonyms and Analogous and Contrasted Words. Phillip Gove,. ed.Merriam Webster, 1984. 944p. $19.95 ISBN 0-87779-241-0

Published in 1942 and revised in 1968 and 1973, this synonym-antonymdictionary is an outstanding work, highly recommended. It is alphabetically arranged with synonymsand similar words carefully discriminated and illustrated with quotationsdrawn from classical and modern writers. The work provides clear comparisons betweenwords of a common denotation and enables the user to distinguish differences in implications,connotations, and applications.

10 21 Slang

D6. New Dictionary of American Slang. Robert L. Chapman, ed. HarperCollins, 1986. 650p. $30 ISBN 0-06-181157-2

This work succeeds Dictionary of American Slang by Wentworth and Flexner, now out of print. The successor covers slang from all periods, including hundreds of new terms that reflect the drug scene, the computer age, and the yuppie generation. Entries provide pronunciation, appropriate classification and dating labels, definitions, illustrative phrases, and numerous cross-references. Like others of its kind, the dictionary contains many taboo or vulgar words and similar non-standard terms, many of which are not found in general language dictionaries.

Language Usage

D7. The Elements of Style. 3d ed. William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White. Macmillan, 1979. 92p. $9.95 ISBN 0-02-418190-0

The compilers of this guide clearly and succinctly state the rules of good usage, often with a touch of humor, and provide several correct and incorrect examples to illustrate each case. William Strunk prepared the original handbook for his English composition classes at Cornell University, and in 1952, long after his death, E.B. White, a grateful student who became a famous essayist and children's writer, edited the small volume for publication.It was so well received that White revised and updated it in 1972 and 1979.

D8. Webster's Dictionary of English Usage. Merriam Webster, 1989. 992p. $21.95 ISBN 0-87779-032-9

With emphasis on current use of English, this work provides 500 entries, varying in length from a few lines to several pages, covering general usage of historical and contemporary language. Entries include numerous illustrative quotations, some 20,000 in all, from past and current sources. Examples of words and expressions treated include "you know," "prioritized," "hopefully," and "irregardless."

Note: Harper Dictionary of Contemporary Usage. 2d ed. William Morris and Mary Morris (HarperCollins, 1985. 672p. $ I 3pa. ISBN 0-06-272021-X) is another work which will provide worthwhile advice on good (and bad) language usage.

Style Manuals

D9. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 5th ed.Kate L. Turabian. Rev. and expanded by Bonnie Birtwistle Honigsblum. 300p. Press, 1987. $22; $8.95pa. ISBN 0-226-81624-9; 0-226-81625-7pa.

11 22 This well -known handbook, often cited as Turabian, provides information on such topics as abbreviations, spelling and punctuation, capitalization,quotations, footnote and bibliographic styles, and writing generally. This latest revision reflects the trend toward simplification of documentation.

Note: MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 3d ed., by Joseph Gibaldi andWalter S. Achtert (Modern Language Association, 1988. $9.95pa. ISBN 0-87352-379-2) is another popular style manual. Libraries should base their choice on the locally accepted style manual(s), whether it is one of the two cited here or another one. Check with the local high school and college for advice.

12 2 3 E. LITERATURE

EL Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia. 3d ed. Harper Collins, 1987.1,248p. $45 ISBN 06-181088-6

This standard quick-reference tool, world wide in scope, treatsliterary terms, important writers, allusions, plots of important works, literarycharacters, and much more. Focus is on literature, but the handbookalso treats topics which are of interest to thereader of literature--historical events, art, and music. Entries vary inlength from a few sentences to several pages, but most entries are concise.

E2. Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia of .George Perkins, et al, eds. HarperCollins, 1991. 1,056p. $45 ISBN 0-06-070027-8

The focus of this handbook, likely to become a standard,is on literature of the Americas- - Canada, the United States, and Latin America. Thework is based on Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia (above), and a 1962 handbook entitledReader's Encyclopedia of American Literature; some 1,500 new articles have been added.Entries range from a brief identification to extensive surveys. Highly recommended.

E3. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 14th ed. IvorH. Evans. Harper & Row, 1989. 1,264p. $35; $20pa. ISBN 0-06-016200-7; 0-06-272022-8pa.

The current edition, which updates a delightful 19th centurywork, is a compilation of miscellaneous information which focuses on literature andhistory, and on colloquial expressions or adages that stem from a simple word. Underthe entry "cat," one finds "cat has nine lives," "cat o' nine tales," "to skin a cat," and manyothers. The volume's value also is enhanced by numerous lists: symbols for saints,flowers and trees in symbolism, dying words of famous people, etc. Despite its British origin,this work has much ready- reference value in American libraries.

Note: Brewer's Dictionary of 20th Century Phrase andFable (Houghton, 1992. 662p. $30 ISBN 0-395-61649-2) is confined to terms and otheritems dating from 1900, some 8,000 in all.

E4. Dictionary of Fictional Characters. William Freeman. Rev.ed. by Fred Urquhart. The Writer, 1974. Reprint, 1992. $17.95pa. ISBN 0-87116-166-4

This volume identifies some 22,000 characters in 2,300classic and modern British and American novels, short stories, poems, plays, and operas, by over600 authors. The identification of each includes his/her relationship to othercharacters in the same work. Indexing by author and title enables the reader to find thecharacters of a particular work.

13 24 E5. A Handbook of Literature. 5th ed. Hugh Holman and William Harmon.Macmillan, 1986. 647p. $27.50 ISBN 0-02-553430-0

An important literary handbook for high school and college students, thiswork contains entries which treat literary terms, concepts, schools, andmovements, each with definition, explanations, and illustrations. Individual authorsare not treated, but often arL referred to in articles. The work also providesan outline of English and American literary history.

E6. The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 5th ed. JamesD. Hart. , 1983. 906p. $49.95 ISBN 0-19-503074-5

This standard work covers American literary and popular authors fromcc.lonial times to the present, and major social and culturalmovements reflected in American literature. The alphabetically arranged entries prdv' ide short biographies of authors and informationabout their styles and interests; over 1,000 summaries of novels, shortstories, essays, poems, plays, biographies, tracts, narratives, and histories; definitions ofliterary terms; historical outlines of literary schools and movements; literary awards and societies;scholarly organizations; magazines and newspapers. A chronology of literary andsocial history concludes the volume.

The Concise Oxford Companion to American Literature by JamesD. Hart (Oxford University Press, 1986. 504p. $30; $12.95pa. ISBN 0-19-5053982-3;0-19-504771-0pa.) contains about half as much information (2,000 brief entries)as the parent volume, but may serve the needs of small libraries.

Note: Some libraries will require the Oxford Companionto English Literature. 5th ed. Margaret Drabble, ed. (Oxford University Press, 1985. 1,155p. $49.95 ISBN0-19-866130-4) or Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. Margaret Drabbleand Jenny Stringer, eds. (Oxford University Press, 1987. 640p. $24.95 ISBN0-19-866140-1).

Biographical Sources

E7. Twentieth Century Authors. Stanley Kunitz and Howard Haycraft.Wilson, 1955. 1,577p. $87 ISBN 0-8242-0049-7

E8 Twentieth Century Authors. Supplement I. Stanley Kunitz andVenita Cetby, eds. Wilson, 1955.1,123p. $77 ISBN 0-8242-0050-0

The basic volume and its supplement, whichare a part of the Wilson Author Series, cover authors from throughout the world whose works have beenpublished in English. The 1,850 entries in the first volume and 700 in the supplementare interestingly written sketches, several pages in length, andconcern writers who published between 1901, and 1950.

14 2 E9. World Authors: 1950-1970: A Companion Volume to Twentieth CenturyAuthors. John Wakeman, ed. Wilson, 1975.1,593p. $95 ISBN 0-8242-0429-0

E10. World Authors: 1970-1975: A Biographical Dictionary. John Wakeman, ed. Wilson, 1980. 893p. $80 ISBN 8242-0641-X

E I 1. World Authors: 1975-1980. Venita Colby, ed. Wilson, 1985. 831p. $82 ISBN 8242-0715-7

E12. World Authors: 1980-1985. Venita Colby, ed. Wilson, 1991. 938p. $82 ISBN 0-8242-0797-1

These four volumes, which continue Twentieth Century Authors and its Supplement, cover prominent writers worldwide whose works have been translated into English: 950 in the volume for 1950-1970, 348 in the 1970-75 volume, 379 in the 1975-80 volume, and 320 in the 1980-85 volume. Entries assess the author's body of writings and evaluate principal works for novelists, poets, and dramatists. Portraits are included for some authors.

Note: Other volumes in the Wilson Author Series should be purchased as funds permit. They include: American Authors: 1600-1900, Stanley Kunitz and Howard Haycraft (Wilson, 1938. 846p. $68 ISBN 8242-0001-2; British Authors Before 1800, Stanley Kunitz and Howard Haycraft (Wilson, 1952. 584p. $56 ISBN 0-8242-0006-3); British Authors df the 19th Centuu, by Stanley Kunitz and Howard Haycraft (Wilson, 1936. 677p. $59 ISBN 0-8242-0007-1); European Authors: 1000-1900; Stanley Kunitz and Venita Colby (Wilson, 1967. 1,016p. $70 ISBN 0-8242-0013-6); and Greek and Latin Authors: 800 B.C.-A.D. 1000, Michael Grant (Wilson, 1980. 492p. $62 ISBN 0-8242-0640-1)

Quotations

El3 Familiar Quotations. John Bartlett16th ed. edited by Justin Kaplan. Little, Brown, 1992, 1,405p. $40 ISBN 0-316-08277-5

The best known of the quotation books, Bartlett's, as it is usually called, began its history in 1855. The latest edition includes more than 2,550 authors (340 new to this revision) from ancient Egypt to Sesame Street, cited in some 22,500 quotations. Arrangement is chronological by the person quoted, with indexing by author, subject, and key words. Exact references to original sources are provided, as well as helpful histol ical footnotes. Earlier editions should be retained, since some quotations are deleted from each revision. The 16th, for example, dropped 245 persons included in the 15th.

Note:If other quotation books are purchased, first choices are Oxford Book of Modern Quotations, Tony Augarde, ed. (Oxford University Press, 1991. 371p. $29.95

15 26 ISBN 0-19-866141-X); aid Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations Requested from the Congressional Research Service, Suzy Platt, ed. (Congressional Quarterly, 1992. 520p. $34.95, $19.95pa. ISBN 0-87187-687-6; 0-87187-674-4pa.).

16 27 F. VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS

FL Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia. Vol. 5. The Arts. John Julius Norwich, ed. Oxford University Press, 1990. 512p. $45 ISSN 0-19-869137-8

Broad coverage of the arts--painting sculpture, architecture, music, literature, drama, cinema, and decorative and applied arts--makes this work an excellent selection for the small library. Over 3,000 entries ranging from one to three paragraphs survey major works and performers of contemporary and earlier times. Some 350 beautiful black-and-white and color illustrations support the text. This volume, which is part of an eight-volume set, can stand alone as a general study of the fine arts.

Fine Arts

F2. The Oxford Dictionary of Art. Ian Chilvers, et al, eds. Oxford University Press, 1988. 576p. $49.95 ISBN 0-19-866133-9

About 3,000 concise, non-techn'.cal entries address artists movements, and persons involved in the art world. There are no bibliographies or illustrations. This work consists of articles extracted from three standard art reference works: Oxford Companion to Art (1962), Oxford Companion to the Decorative Arts (F3), and Oxford Companion to Twentieth Century Art (see note below).

Note: The Oxford Companion to Twentieth Century Art, Harold Osborne, ed. (Oxford University Press, 1982. 800p. $49.95; $21.95pa. ISBN 0-19-866119-3; 0-19-28276-1 pa.) provides international coverage for artists who came into prominence between 1900 and 1975.

Decorative Arts

F3. The Oxford Companion to the Decorative Arts. Harold Osborne, ed. Oxford University Press, 1985. $22.50pa. ISBN 0-19-281863-5

The decorative arts are defined to include items intended to be functional which are "prized for the quality of their workmanship and beauty of their appearance." This reprint of a 1975 work provides authoritative coverage for such areas as ceramics, textiles, wood and metal work, glass, clocks, leather, enamel, lacquer, toys, lace, and embroidery. Emphasis is on the Western world.

Music

F4. The Norton/Grove Concise En_uclopedia of Music. Stanley Sadie and Alison Latham, eds Norton, 1988. $40 ISBN 0-393-02620-5

17 23 The 10,000 alphabetically-arranged entries contained in this volume includecomposers, instrumentalists, performers, terms, instruments, etc. Emphasis ison classical music, but some attention is given to popular music and rock. This excellent work is based on the authoritative 30-volume New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.

F5. The Oxford Companion to Popular Music. Peter Gammond, ed. Oxford University Press, 1991. 739p. $39.95 ISBN 0-19-311323-6

Acid rock, Roy Acuff, Elvis, and Johann Strauss are included in this handbook of popular music of the English-speaking world. The focus ison performers, composers, types of music, songs, famous theaters and clubs, musicals, light opera, and otheraspects of music which are "neither serious nor classical." Most entries area paragraph in length and include brief bibliographies.

Note: Libraries requiring more extensive coverage forcomposers of classical music should consider the Wilson Composer Series, compiled and edited by David Ewen: Great Composers 1300-1900 (Wilson, 1966. 419p. $55 ISBN 0-8242-0018-7); Composers Since 1900 (Wilson, 1969. 639p. $62 ISBN 0-8242-0400-X); Composers Since 1900. First Supplement (Wilson, 1981. 328p. $42 ISBN 0-8242-0664-9); and Musicians Since 1900: Performers in Concert and Opera (Wilson, 1978. 970p. $75 ISBN 0-8242-0565-0) In all, the series treats 467 composers, and 432 performers in the latter work.

Theater

F6. Concise Oxford Companion to American Theatre. Gerald Bordman, ed. Oxford University Press, 1987. 451p. $29.95; $13.95pa. ISBN 0-19-505121-1; 0-19-506327-9pa.

The work covers both the legitimate and popular theater and also includes musicals, vaudeville, and minstrel shows. Entries focuson persons associated with American theater--playwrights, performers, producers, composers, librettists, choreographers, and designers--plot summaries of plays and musicals, theaters, organizations, and terminology. Some libraries may require the longer version of this work: The Oxford Companio,1to American Theatre, Gerald Bordman, ed. (Oxford University Press, 1984. 740p. $55 ISBN 0-19-503443-0), which includes both major and minor plays and individuals.

F7. Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 2d ed. Phyllis 1- Iartnoll, ed. Oxford University Press, 1992. $35 ISBN 0-19-866136-3

This concise version of Oxford Companion to the Theatre reflectsmany changes in the theater since the last edition in 1972. Minor theaters and formerly popularactors and directors covered in the main volume have been dropped. Biographies of those included have been updated, and many new ones added. The work alsotreats plays, playhouses, touring companies, costume and stage history, and muchmore.

18 29 Film, Video, and Television

F8. Les Brown's Encyclopedia of Television. 3d ed. Gale, 1992. 750p. $39.95 ISBN 0-8103-8871-5

Some 3,000 detailed entries provide comprehensive coverage for the television industry from birth to date and include entries concerning technology, programs, executives, performers, writers, and more. "MTV," "Fox," "pay-for-view television," and hit shows such as "Northern Exposure" and "Roseanne" are among the new entries in this edition.

Note: The Complete Directory of Prime Time Network TV Shows, 1946-Present, by Tim Brooke and Earle Marsh, 5th ed. (Ballantine/Random House, 1992. 1,216p. $19pa. ISBN 0-345-37792-3) provides detailed information on programs.

F9. Halliwell's Film Guide. Leslie Halliwell. 8th ed. Hi rperCollins, 1992. $50 ISBN 0-06-07737-516322-4; 7th ed. $19.95pa. ISBN 0-06-091989-2

F10. Halliwell's Filmgoer's and Video Viewer's Companion. 10th ed.HarperCollins, 1993. 800p. $60; $25pa. ISBN 0-06-271570; 0-06-273239-0

The Film Guide provides information on 16,000 film and television movies giving writer, producer, director, principal characters, awards (if any), a plot synopsis, a critical evaluation, a 0- to 4-star rating, running time, and availability on video tape. The Companion provides brief biographical data for actors, directors, writers, bit players, silent stars, cinematographers, and others involved in the film and video industries. Other entries cover terms, themes, subjects, historical figures depicted in film, and many individual films.

19 30 G. HISTORY

World

Gl. An Encyclopedia of World History: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern, Chronologically Arranged. 5th ed. William L. Langer, comp. and ed. Houghton, 1972.1,567p. $40 ISBN 0-395-13592-3

This standard work, arranged in broad periods and subdivided geographically, is a historical chronology which covers the rise and fall of civilizations and empires.It presents concise information on political, military, diplomatic, and cultural history. There also are genealogical charts of ruling families; lists of popes, prime ministers, and other important political figures; and some 60 outline maps. The volume is extensively indexed.

G2. Historical Tables: 58 B.C.-A.D. 1985. S.H. Steinberg. llth ed. Updated by John Paxton. Garland, 1986. 277p. $35 ISBN 0-8240-8951-0

The historical tables in this guide, arranged in parallel columns by period, enable the reader to scan important events occurring throughout the world. The work provides excellent coverage of world political history, but the lack of an index is a detriment to use.

G3. Atlas of World History. rev. ed Rand McNally, 1993. 192p. $45; $24.95pa. ISBN 0-528-83499-1; 0-528-83498-3pa.

Detailed historical maps, accompanied by descr;otive essays, photographs, and other illustrations, provide an overview of the growt and history of the world. Maps cover such topics as early civilization, economies, trade roil'Les, religions, revolutions, and wars. A special U.S. history section provides maps of the American colonies, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, immigration, World War II, and population of the 90s.

United States

G4. Atlas of American History. Robert H. Ferrell and Richard Natkiel. Facts on File, 1987. 192p. $27.95; $19.95pa. ISBN 0-8160-102805; 0-8160-2544-4pa.

Some 250 maps and charts, supported by 16 pages of full-color photographs and 100 black-and-white illustrations, bring to life the important events which formed our nation from 1492 to the 1988 presidential election. World Wars I and II, Korea, and Vietnam receive excellent coverage.

G5. The Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates. 9th ed. Gorton Carruth.HarperCollins, 1993. 1,056p. $40 ISBN 0-06-270045-6

31 Four parallel columns, arranged chronologically, show concurrent eventsand other information concerning American history and culture: politics and government, war, disasters, and vital statistics; books, paintings, drama, architecture, and sculpture;science, industry, economics, education, religion, and philosophy; and sports,fashion, popular entertainment, folklore, and society. An extensive index provides easy access tospecific information. What Happened When: A Chronology of Life and Eventsin America (Harper & Row, 1989. 499p. $13.94pa. ISBN 0-06-096318-2), an abridgedversion of the previous edition, focuses on the most significant historical and cultural events.

G6. Reader's Companion to American History. and ;,,hn A. Garraty, eds. Houghton, 1991. 1,226p. $35 ISBN 0-395-51372-3

This excellent work, sponsored by the Society of American Historians, includes morethan 1,000 alphabetically-arranged entries written by 400 prominent scholars.Entries are either short articles about specific topics and events, longer interpretive essays onbroad topics, or biographies of significant historical figures.The readable text is supported by a detailed index and numerous cross references.

Texas

G7. Handbook of Texas. Walter Prescott Webb and H. Bailey Carroll, eds. Texas State Historical Association, 1952. 2 vols.$65 ISBN 0-87611-013-8. Supplement, called Vol. 3, Eldon Stephen Branda, ed.1977. $40 ISBN 0-87611-027-8. $95/3 vol. set ISBN 0-87611-036-7 (Available from Texas State Historical Association, 2/306 Richardson Hall, University Station, Austin, TX 78712)

The thousands of entries in this unioue reference source deal with people,places, events, organizations, enterprises, industries, agricultural development, and many other subjects that relate to the . In 1952 the TSHA began a completerevision of the three-volume Handbook. All old entries are being updated, and thousands of new topics are being written. The complutely revisedHandbook of Texas will be published in six volumes in I995.

G8. Historical Atlas of Texas. A. Ray Stephens and William M. Holmes. University of Press, 1990. 168p. $29.95; $16.95pa. ISBN 0-8061-2158-0; 0-8061-2307-9pa.

This excellent work relates the history of Texas and its geography. Maps trace the State's history from pre-Spanish days to contemporary times. Although this work is more recent, some libraries may hold the standard of many years,Historical Atlas of Texas by William C. Pool (Encino Press, 1974. 216p. $22.50 ISBN 0-88426-033-X), which may meetthe needs of small libraries.

2132 H. STATISTICS

H I. Statistical Abstracts of the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1878 to date. Annual. $34; $29pa. S/N 003-024-08160-1; 003-024-08159-8pa.

This annual is the most important compendium of American social, political, and economic statistics.It is arranged by some 35 broad subjects, e.g., education, vital statistics, and agriculture. An introduction to each section discusses the sources of the data and defines terminology. Current and comparative statistics for the past 20 to 15 years are included. Government sources generate most of the data, but professional organizations and other groups provide some information. The focus is on the United States as a whole, with little attention given to smaller units.

Note: Companion volumes t1 Statistical Abstracts include: Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970., Bicentennial edition, 2 vols. (U.S. Government Printing Office, 1976. $56 S/N 003-024-00120-9), which provides an overview of United States history in some 12,500 statistical tables; County and City Data Book (U.S. Government Printing Office, 1988. $36 SIN 003-024-067099); and State and Metropolitan Area Data Book (U.S. Government Printing Office, 1987. $28 S/N 003-024-06334-4) J. POLITICAL SCIENCE AND LAW

Nations of the World

J1. Background Notes on the Countries of the World. U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs. U.S. Government Printing Office. 180 leaflets. $58/current set; $20/yr., monthly updates.

Leaflet (3 to 15 pages) on the countries of the world comprise this service. Information for each country includes basic data on land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations. Travel information is also included. Leaflets can be purchased individually ($1/ea.), as a set, or by subscription. In-print Background Notes are listed by country in Subject Bibliography No. 093. (Request a free copy from U.S. Government Printing Office, , D.C. 20402.) Subscribers receive eight new leaflets each month.

J2. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. U.S. Government Printing Office. Annual $23/yr.

This annual publication, similar in content to Background Notes (above), provides basic information on some 250 countries--typography, resources, water, people, government economy, communications, and defense forces. Small location maps for:each country refer to twelve large maps of various parts of the world. Since all of the information in the Factbook is updated annually, this service is more current than Background Notes. Each will provide some information not included in the other.

Note: Far more extensive information on the countries of the world is provided in Statesman's YearBook: Statistical and Historical Annual of the States of the World (St. Martin's, Annual. $75/yr.); and in Handbook of the Nations (Gale. Annual. $85).

United States

J3. Facts about the Presidents: A Compilation of Biographical and HistoricalInformation. Joseph N. Kane. Wilson, 1993. 432p. $55 ISBN 0-8242-0845-5

A chapter on each president, George Washington through Bill Clinton, gives information about his life, family, career, religious beliefs, administration, First Lady, and Vice- President A black-and-white portrait accompanies each biography. An additional section contains comparative data on such topics as education, military experience, occupation, electoral votes, and presidential vetoes.

23 3 .1 Note: The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents, 3d ed., by William A. DeGregorio (Barricade Books, 1991. 740p. $30 ISBN 0-942637-37-2), a similar and less expensive work, includes more personal information on each president, but does not include comparative data.

J4. How Congress Works 2d ed. Congressional Quarterly, 1991.157p. $18.95 0-87187-598-5

An excellent, inexpensive guide to the legislative process, this work provides a clear description of such topics as Congressional procedures, the committee system, and the workings of party leadership in Congress.

J5. Official Congressional Directory. U.S. Congress. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1809 to date. Biennial. 1991-92 ed., $16pa. S/N 052-070-06716-1

This biennial offers extensive directory information for the United States Congress: brief biographies of members; numerous listings by tenure, party, state delegation, etc.; membership of congressional committees or boards; lists of administrative or legislative assistants and secretaries, with addresses and telephone numbers; and lists of media representatives. There also is valuable information on the executive and judicial branches of government and U.S. and foreign diplomats.

J6. U.S. Government Manual. National Archives and Records Administration, Office of the Federal Register. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1935 to date. Annual. 1992-93 ed. $27 S/N 069-000-00050-9

The official guide to U.S. government structure, this annual lists and describes each of the departments, bureaus, commissions, and other official and quasi-official agencies of the federal system. Descriptions include history, organization, and activities of each agency, and names, titles, addresses, and telephone numbers of key officials. Defunct agencies are listed in the appendix.

Texas

J7. Guide to Texas State Agencies. 7th ed. Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, 1990. 350p. $50 ISBN 0-899-40311-5

More than 240 Texas State agencies, arranged by function, are described in this guide. Information includes a selection of officers/members, legal authority, organization, purpose, and function.

J8. Texas Legislative Handbook, 1993-94. Texas State Directory, 1993. 50p. $3.95pa. (Order from P.O. Box 12186, Capitol Station, Austin, TX 78711)

24 3' This is the best source available on the Texas legislative process. The handbook describes the organization of the legislature, the role of the participants, and the services available to legislators. A topical arrangement and detailed table of content provide access to the data.

Note: During the legislative session, libraries should use the hotline, 1-800-252-9693, to determine the status of a specific bill. At the end of the session, libraries should acquire Summary of Enactments, Legislature, which provides synopses of all bills passed during the session.

J9. Texas State Directory, 1993. Texas State Directory, 1946 to date. Annual. $24.95pa. (Order from address above).

Elected and appinted officials are listed with address, telephone number, tenure in office, and brief biograJhical data. The directory also lists city and county officials, Texas congressional ::.Megates, federal judiciary, federal law enforcement officials in Texas, and Democratic anc Republican officials and committee persons.

Law

J10. Black's Law Dictionary: Definitions of Terms and Phrases of American and English Jurisprudence, Ancient and Modern, with Guide to Pronunciation. Henry Campbell Black, et al. 6th ed. West Publishing Co., 1990. 1,618p. $49.95 ISBN 0-314-77165-4

This work includes legal words, terms, and maxims in all areas of law. Although this is a standard work, some libraries may not require the depth of coverage which this dictionary provides. (See note below.)

Note: The less expensive and less detailed Law Dictionary by Steven H. Gifis, 3d ed. (Barron's Educational Series, 1991. 638p. $11.95pa. ISBN 0-8120-4628-5) may be a more practical purchase for small libraries than the standard work listed above.

J10. Texas Law in Layman's Language. 4th ed. Ralph Walton and Charles Turner. Gulf Publishing, 1990. 260p. $12.95 ISBN 0-87201-846-6

The authors present Texas laws relatec' o the most common legal questions without legal jargon, making it understandable to the average person. How to Live and Die with Texas Probate, 6th ed., by Charles Saunders (Gulf, 1990. 178p. $12.95 ISBN 0-88201-922-5) is another worthwhile publication for all sizes of Texas libraries.

25 3$ Parliamentary Procedure

J11. Riddick's Rules of Procedure: A Modern Guide to Faster and More Efficient Meetings. Floyd M. Riddick and Miriam H. Butcher. Madison Books, 1991. 240p. $14.95pa. ISBN 0-8191-8064-5

This guide to parliamentary procedure is alphabetically arranged, making it much easier to locate a specific rule than in Robert's Rules of Order, which is arranged topically.

Riddick's table of contents and index also help the user in finding appropriate headings. Riddick is a former parliamentarian of the U.S. Senate, and Butcher is a former president of the American Institute of Parliamentarians.

Note: Robert's Rules of Order, 11th ed. by Henry M. Robert, III and William J. Evans (HarperCollins, 1991. $18.95 ISBN 0-673-38735-6) is one of the best versions of Robert's and would be an excellent choice should the library prefer to purchase it. K. GEOGRAPHY

Gazetteers

Kl. Webster's New Geographical Dictionary. rev. ed. Merriam Webster, 1984. 1,408p. $24.95 ISBN 0-87779-446-4

Entries for 47,000 towns, cities, countries, rivers, lakes, mountains, and other geographical locations comprise this volume. United States towns under 1,500 population and foreign cities under 25,000 are omitted, unless they have a special significance. Pronunciations of place names are provided. Some 15,000 cross-references for variant spellings, name changes, and similar relationships provide easy access to the text, which is illustrated by 218 maps. Although this work is not extensive, it is an excellent quick- reference tool.

Atlases

K2. The New Cosmopolitan World Atlas. Rand McNally, 1992. 340p. $60 ISBN 528-83442-4

This medium priced atlas contains colorful maps of the world, countries, and smaller political entities, such as states and provinces; a section of thematic map:. and charts that show population trends, languages, climate, and other data; an extensive index of place names; and a statistical section with tables and charts of international political information. Such topics as land use are covered in text, photographs, and maps. The index includes 69,000 entries. This atlas is a first choice for libraries of all sizes.

Note: Other quality works which can be substituted for the above atlas include: Hammond Atlas of the World (Hammond, 1992. 303p. 555.25 ISBN 0- 8437 -1 175 -2; National Geographic Atlas of the World (National Geographic, 1992. 404p. $88/deluxe ed. $71 50pa. ISBN 0-87044-834-X; 0-87044-835-8pa.); and Times Atlas of the World (Times Books, 1992. 244p. $75 ISBN 0-8129-2076-7). Goode's World Atlas, 18th ed. !Rand McNally, 1990. 367p. $29.95 ISBN 0-528-83128-3), designed for students, isa smaller work of excellent quality.

K3. Rand McNally Road Atlas: United States, Canada, and Mexico. Rand McNally. 160p Annual. 1993 ed. $7.95pa.

This annually updated atlas contains road maps for each of the 50states, the states and provinces of Mexico and Canada, and for over 150 U.S. and Canadian cities. Maps identify principal highways, paved and unpaved roads, and scenicroutes, and indicate rest areas, campgrounds, airports, dams, national parks and forests, mountains peaks, major colleges and universities, and ferries.

27 33 K4. Maps--Libraries should hold detailed individual maps of the state, the loCal and nearby counties and cities, and of large cities in the region. Free maps are often available from such groups as County Commissioners and Chambers of Commerce. The Texas Department of Transportation (125 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78701) offers county and statewide maps. Write to the Director of Travel and Information.

3 28 L. EDUCATION AND CAREERS

Ll. Comparative Guide to American Colleges for Students, Parents, and Counselors. James Cass and Max Birnbaum. 15th ed. Harper Collins, 1991. 851p. $40; $20pa. ISBN 0-06-271513-5; 0-06-461013-6pa..

Published biennially since 1964, this highly regarded guide provides comparative and analytical information on 1,500 accredited four-year American colleges. Data for each ncludes admission requirements; curriculum; academic, social, and cultural atmosphere; student-faculty ratio; religious orientation; and costs and tuition. Indexing is by state, selectivity (which ranks institutions based on difficulty of admission requirements), religion, and institutions conferring largest number of degrees in selected fields.

Note: Other quality college handbooks include: Barron's Profiles of American Colleges, 17th ed. (Barron's Educational Series, 1991. 1,800p. $16.75pa. ISBN 0-8120-4351-0); Lovejoy's College Guide: A Complete Reference Book to Some 2 500 American Colleges and Universities, 21st ed. (Prentice Hall, 1992. 864p. $40; $20pa. ISBN 0-13-554247-2; 0-13-524778-0pa.); and Peterson's Guide to Four-Year Colleges (Peterson's Guides. Annual. 1992 ed., $18.95pa.)

L2. College catalogs--Catalogs of nearby community and four-year colleges and universities, and major universities in the state should be held by public libraries. They are free on request.

L3. Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1929 to date. Biennial.1992/93 ed. $23 S/N 029-001-03091-6 Reprint editions from VGM Career Horizons, $22.95 ISBN 0-8442-8700-8; and from JIST Works, $21.95 ISBN 1 -56370 -045 -X

This handbook provides authoritative information on over 200 occupations. Information includes: work description, levels aid places of employment, working conditions, education and training requirements, opportunities for advancement, job outlook, earnings, etc. Arrangement is by broad occupational fields. Indexing is by occupational titles and industries. This handbook is updated by Occupational Outlook Quarterly ($6.50/yr.), which provides current information on employment, trends, emerging fields, and new technologies affecting jobs.

L4. How to Write a Winning Resume. Deborah P. Bloch. National Texbook/VGM, 1989. 128p. $6.95pa. ISBN 0-8442-6639-6

This guide offers advice on gathering and organizing resume information, recording personal data, writing cover letters, and other important matters of interest to job seekers. Sample resumes and cover letters showing different styles and approaches also are included.

29 40 Note: Other recommended guides to resume writing include: The Guide to Basic Resume Writing, by the Public Library Association, Job and Career Information Services Committee (VGM Career Books, 1991. 96p. $7.95pa. ISBN 0-8442-8123-9); and Resumes That Knock 'Em Dead by Martin J. Yate (Bob Adams, 1988. 216p. $7.95pa. ISBN 1-55850-955-0). C ver Letters That Knock 'Em Dead, by Martin J. Yate (131') Adams, 1991. 184p. $7.95pa. ISBN 1-55850-050-2) also is recommended.

4.1 M. BUSINESS

MI. Finance and Investment Handbook. John Downs and Jordan Goodman, 3d ed. Barron's Educational Series, 1990. 1,152p. $29.95 ISBN 0-8120-6188-8

The purpose of this work is to assist the user in making sound investments. Part one identifies all types of investments and includes risk, tax, and economic considerations for each. Parts two and three explain how to read an annual report and the financial page. The final section is a dictionary of concisely defined terms.

Note: Handbook for Everyone Interested in Managing Their Personal Finances, by Nancy Dunnan (HarperCollins, 1992. 416p. $30; $15pa. ISBN 0-06-2715-37-2; 0 -06 -2731 18 -1) also is recommended.

M2. Franchise Opportunities Handbook. U.S. Department of Commerce. U.S. Government Printing Office. Annual. $16 S/N 003-009-00596-5

Many commercially produced guides to franchises are merely reprints bf parts or all of this important source. This annual cites 1,500 franchise opportunities, arranged under 46 subject headings, giving address, description of business, length of time the company has been in business, estimated capital needed, whether financing and training are provided, and other pertinent data.

M3. Hoover's Handbook of American Business. Reference Press; distr. by Publishers Group West, 1991. Gary Hoover, et al, eds. 630p. $24.95pa ISBN 1-8787553-01-0

This directory contains single page entries for each of over 500 American enterprises (public, private, government, and nonprofit), giving the nature of the business, a brief history, financial worth, officers, address, telephone and fax numbers, products, and chief competitors. An introduction explains how to understand financial information and the way corporations are measured. Several lists cover such topics as largest advertisers and the most powerful brands. Hoover's Handbook of World Business (Reference Press; distr. by Publishers Group West, 1991. 333p. $21.90pa. ISBN 1-87875-05-9), a companion volume, examines 165 multinational corporations headquartered outside the United States.

M4. J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax. Prentice Hall, 1937 to date. 512p. Annual. 1993 ed. $14 ISBN 0-13-513896-5

A well-know, reliable, and inexpensive guide to home preparation of tax returns, Lasser's contains information on decisions, court rulings, and laws that change the current tax year. Examples and sample forms enhance its usefulness. An enclosed card permits the purchaser to write for the yearly update supplement.

31 42 Note: Consumer Reports Books Guide to Income Tax Preparation 1992, by Warren Esanu, et al (Consumer Report Books, 1991. 688p. $13.95pa. ISBN 0-89043-460-3) offers complete step-by-step instructions for preparing tax returns and includes work sheets, sample forms, record-keeping devices, and money- and time-saving tips.

M5. Webster's New World Secretarial Handbook. 4th ed. In Plain English, Inc. Prentice Hall, 1989. 560p. $15.95; $9.95pa. ISBN 0-13-949256-9; 0-13-949249-6pa.

This work, along with other secretarial handbooks, is a useful guide for general reference. Nine chapters cover such topics as correspondence, accounting and finance, legal principles, and special functions such as organizing a conference. Ready-reference information includes tables of weights and measures, signs and symbols, U.S. holidays, domestic and foreign travel information, and a 33,000-word spelling and syllabication list.

Note: The librarian in the small library should know about other business sources held in large libraries. Extensive financial data is contained in the numerous works of two services: Pvloody's Investment Service, comprised of 8 series, each focusing on a type of investment (public utilities, transportation, banking and finance), and costing some $9,000 per year; and Standard & Poor's, with a number of separate surveys and stock reports, which also is costly. Value Line Investment Survey ($500/yr) is a loose-leaf service which analyzes and reports on some 1,700 stocks in its weekly publications. Best's Key Rating Guide ($85/yr.) gives comprehensive statistics and ratings for all types of insurance companies. Thomas Register of American Manufacturers and Thomas Register Catalog File, 25 vols. ($240), is a national purchase guide, supplying names and addresses of manufacturers, producers, importers, and other sources of supply for products of all types and sizes.

32 4 N. HOME LIFE AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS

Anniversaries and Holidays

NI. Anniversaries and Holidays. 4th ed. Ruth W. Gregory. American Library Association, 1983. 262p. $30 ISBN 0-8309-0389-4

This useful guide, a standard for many years, is arranged in three parts: "Calendar of Fixed Dates," the largest section, which offers day-by-day anniversaries and holidays; "Calendar of Moveable Days," subdivided according to the Christian. Islamic, Eastern and Western worlds; and a bibliography of some 1,000 books about anniversaries and holidays.

Note: Chase's Annual Events: Special Days, Weeks, & Months (Contemporary Books, 1985 to date. Annual $38.95pa.), a popular library acquisition, identifies some 9,000 special events world wide: holidays, holy days, national and ethnic festivals, fairs, birthdays, etc.

Consumer In:ormation

N2. The Complete Car Cost Guide. IntelliChoice, 1987 to date. Annual. $39pa.

This guide includes information most buyers do not consider when purchasing a new car, such as the costs of insurance, financing, and running cost (fuel, repairs, etc.). Each annual provides the total cost of owning any specific model of automobile, van, or small truck new that year. Other sections treat leasing vs. buying, buying new vs. used, and the merits of extended warranties.

N3. Consumer Information Catalog Consumer Information Center, 1970 to date. Quarterly. Free (P.O. Box 100, Pueblo, CO 81002)

Quarterly catalogs list and describe some 100 popular titles available from the Consumer Information Center, a U.S. Government agency. Listings include free or inexpensive books, pamphlets, posters, and periodicals on personal finance, food, health and physical fitness, drugs, housing, household products, and many other topics. Libraries should be on the mailing list to receive quarterly issues. On request, libraries can be placed on the mailing list to receive batches of 25 catalogs.

N4. Consumer Reports Buying Guide Issue. Consumers Union. Annual. $7.95pa.

This guide is the December issue of Consumer Reports, but it may be purchased separately.It includes summaries of evaluations of consumer goods and services that have appeared in the magazine over the last several years, and cites the magazine issue in which the full evaluation appears. Evaluations are based on independent tests and investigations.

33 41 Cooking

N5. Joy of Cooking. rev. ed. Irma S. Rombauer and Mary R. Becker. Macmillan, 1975. 915p. $16.95 ISBN 0-672-51831-7

This standard cookbook of many years standing provides excellent recipes and step-by- step instructions for most common American dishes, some 4,500 in all. Other information includes charts of. meat cuts, carving instructions, measurement tables, ingredient substitutions and equivalents, high altitude cooking adjustments, definitions of terms, nutrition tables, and table settings.

Etiquette

N6. Emily Post's Etiquette15th ed. HarperCollins, 1992. $30/thumb indexed; $28/plain ISBN 0-06-27728-6/thumb indexed; 0-06-270047-2/plain

The new edition of this old standby makes an admirable attempt to keep pace with today's life styles.It continues to set a high standard for good manners, while reflecting a more informal approach to a wide variety of social situations. Life's rituals are discussed in detail, along with behavior at rare social occasions.

Gardening

N7. 10,000 Garden Questions Answered by 20 Experts. 4th ed. Marjorie J. Kietz, ed. HarperCollins, 1990, c1982. 1.507p. $32.50; $16.95pa. ISBN 0-06-016337-2; 0-385-18509-X

This standard reference work on gardening answers most questions that amateur gardeners are likely to ask. Sixteen sections, each written by an expert, provide concise information on soils and fertilizers, landscaping and planninp perennials, house plants, trees and shrubs, and much more. There is an extensive bibliography. Line drawings and an index support the text.

Home Maintenance

N8. Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual. Reader's Digest Association, 1991. 528p. $30 ISBN 0-89577-378-3

This manual is helpful when undertaking projects involving plumbing, electrical wiring, masonry, and other household construction and repair. Over 2,000 photographs and an index support the text. A special section treats emergencies.

N9. Mary Ellen's Clean House!: The All-in-One-Place Encyclopedia of Contemporary Housekeeping. Mary Ellen Pinkham, with Dale Burg. Crown, 1993. 3840. $20 ISBN 0-517-58823-4 Mary Ellen, of "Helpful Hints" fame, explains how to keep house while maintaining your sanity--how to clean, how to furnish, how to do laundry, how to store, how to give a party, and much more.

Note: Other useful housekeeping guides include How to Clean Practically Anything, 3d ed., by the editors of Consumer Reports (Consumer Reports Books, 1992. $11.95pa.), which gives information on cleaning specific items and rates cleaning products; and Heloise A to Z, by Heloise (Perigee Putnam, 1992. 432p. $10.95pa. ISBN 0-399-51750-2), a collection of housekeeping suggestions.

35 4 P. SPORTS AND RECREATION

P 1. Family Fun and Games. Diagram Group. Sterling, 1992. 800p. $24.95 ISBN 0-8069-8776-6

This compilation of instructions for playing more than 800 games from around the world is divided into two sections. The first covers general games using darts, dice, words, etc., arranged alphabetically. The second focuses on card games--those appropriate for children, adult games, gambling games, and solitaire. Indexing is according to type, number of players, and alternative names.

P2. Guinness Book of Sports Records, 1992. Facts on File, 1992. 256p. $20.95, $13.95pa. ISBN 0-8160-2651-3: 0-8160-1652-1pa.

This lavishly illustrated volume includes facts and odd feats for more than 75 popular sports from acrobatics to yachting. The section for each sport begins with a history, followed by world, United Sates, and Olympic records. Special features in the 1992 edition include Triple-Crown winners. Notre Dame football, and the first bicycles expedition across the Soviet Union.

P3. Information Please Sports Almanac. Houghton. Annual. $16.45, $8.95pa.

Each annual recaps the year in sports. An opening essay surveys the year's events, followed by entries on individual sports. contributed by sports writers. Tables cover such topics as end-of-season standings, championship series, and award winners. Teams, coaches, and individual players are ranked in various areas of achievement. Other sections provide a directory of teams and governing organizations, members of Halls of Fame, and lists of parks and stadiums where teams play. If the library can afford only one sports annual, this is the one to buv.

P4. Rules of the Game. rev. ed. Diagram Group. St. Martin's, 1990.320p. $24.95 ISBN 0-312-04574-3

For each of 150 sports, this work gives a brief history and detailed coverage of objectives, playing area, equipment, rules, timing, scoring, participants, and officials. Over 2,000 color illustrations support the text, which is indexed. The guide is British in origin, but it also provides coverage for United States and Canadian sports. A number of sports have been added to this edition, such as hanggliding, windsurfing, and jujitsu.

4(3c,36 Q. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Q I. McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science & Technology. 2d ed. Sybil P. Parker, ed. McGraw-Hill, 1989. 2,222p. $110 ISBN 0- 07-045512-0

This concise version of the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, 6th ed., contains 7,000 entries covering most areas of the physical and biological sciences, engineering, and technology. Although articles have been cut, they retain the essence of the original. Within the next year or so there should be a revision of this concise version, based on the latest edition of the parent: McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology, 7th ed. (McGraw-Hill, 1992. 20 vols. $1,900/set).

Health and Medicine

Q2. The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine. Charles Clayman, ed. Random House, 1989. I,184p. $44.45 ISBN 0-394-56528-2

This excellent work describes in nontechnical language all types of medical topics- - diseases, symptoms, conditions, medications, new drugs, tests and procedures, and conflicting or varying opinions. Definitions of medical terms, essays on such topics as maintaining a healthy body, new diseases, and lists of some 2,500 generic and brand-name drugs, vitamins, and minerals, also are included.

Q3. The American Medical Association Handbook of First Aid and Emergency Care. rev. ed. Random House, 1990. 352p. $9.95pa. ISBN 0-679-72959-3

All public libraries should hold a current guide to first aid; older first-aid guides should be destroyed, since they may include erroneous, and even dangerous, procedures. The first part of this well-designed guide provides general information on preparing for emergencies, e.g., basic first aid techniques, alarming symptoms, calling an ambulance, and hospital emergency rooms. The second section addresses specific illnesses and injuries, arranged in alphabetical order--broken bones, heart attacks, strokes, etc.

Q4. Black's Medical Dictionary. 36th ed. C.W. Havard, ed. Barnes & Noble, 1990. 750p. $60 ISBN 0-389-20901-5

Most libraries need a medical dictionary. Black's, an excellent choice, describes 4,500 terms in medicine and related fields in clear and concise language. Entries on diseases describe them from the patient's point of view. Although this work was prepared for use by physicians, it can be understood by intelligent laypersons.

Complete Guide to Prescription and Nonprescription Drugs. H Winter Griffith.1993 ed. Putnam, 1992. $15.95pa. ISBN 0-399-51766-9

37 48 This guide to drugs for laypersons contains information on 400 generic drugs, giving brand name, dosage, overdose symptoms and first aid, possible adverse reactions, warnings, and interaction with other drugs.

Note: Physicians' Desk Reference (Medical Economics, 1c47 to date. 1993 ed. $57.95), known as PDR, is directed toward the physician and uses more technical language than the above work. Large libraries generally hold PDR, as well as tools designed for laypersons. Other guides to drugs intended for laypersons include: The Essential Guide to Nonprescription Drugs by David R Zimmerman (Gale, 1992. 704p. $39.95; $14.95pa. ISBN 0-06-014915-9; 0-06-091023-2pa ); and The Essential Guide to Prescription Drugs 1991 by James W. Long (HarperCollins, 1992.1,028p. $35; $16pa. ISBN 0-06-071534-8; 0-06-273090-8pa.).

The Parent's Desk Reference. Irene Franck and David Brownstone. Prentice-Hall, 1991. 628p. $29.95; $18pa. ISBN 0-13-649989-9; 0-13-650003-Xpa.

Among the topics included in this outstanding work are pregnancy and childbirth, nutrition and infant care, genetic and common disorders of childhood and pregnancy, education and special education concerns, family law and social services, and key social problems. The more than 2,500 alphabetically arranged entries pertain to all aspects of parental concern, educational, medical, social, and personal. Sidebars cover varied subjects such as preparing for a parent-teacher conference, immunization schedules, and emergency first aid.

Automotive Repair

Q7. Chilton's Auto Repair Manual, 1989-1993. Chilton Books. Annual. $26.95 ISBN 0-8019-7909-9

Each new edition of this well-known auto repair manual covers all models of the last five years currently available in the United States and Canada. Almost 3,000 diagrams and photographs and thousands of tables and specifications supplement the complete coverage of virtually every major operating system of the car. Other Chilton manuals focus on repair of imported cars, motorcycles and ATVs, and trucks and vans.

38

49 SECTION II: PRIORITY RANKING OF SOURCES

5 it) R. PURCHASE PLAN

Introduction

In even the smallest libraries, the four groupings under "A," Continuations or Encyclopedias, should be bought on a regular basis. Groups Al and A2 should be purchased according to their publication patterns, either annually or biennally. Group A3 consists of works published annually which could be acquired every second or third year; if funds permit, they, too, should be purchased annually. Group A4 lists encyclopedias, expensive purchases which quickly become dated; they, therefore, should be replaced at five- to six-year intervals.

Small public libraries probably will purchase the 73 remaining reference tools under "B," One- Time Purchases, over a period of time. The 22 reference books in Group B I, recommended first purchases, should be acquired before those in Group B2, those in Group B3 before those in B4, and so on through Group B5. Within each group, titles are arranged alphabetically. not by rank.

Collection development in the reference area must be carefully planned, and funds, usually a percentage of the total collection development money, should be placed in a separate section of the budget. At 1993 prices, the items in Group AI will cost approximately $250 annually, depending on discount. Every second year, an additional $175 will be needed to purchase publications in Groups A2 and A3. (Titles in Group A3, of course, can be staggered so that all need not be purchased in the same year.) Acquisition of an encyclopedia (Group A4) should be planned well in advance, since each costs hundreds of dollars. (Perhaps service clubs, Friends organizations, or other groups can be persuaded to purchase these items or to contribute toward their cost.) The reference books listed in Group B1, the most basic of the remaining sources, will cost around $600, while those in the four remaining "B Groups" will total some $1,200.

The library, of course, will hold a number of these titles. Check the lists against holdings to determine needs. The selector should know that the lists have been chosen for libraries generally. Each library has its own unique needs ,vhich should be considered in building the reference collection. An annual assiv,ment made by a local teacher or a particular local interest can place a demand on one library which is not shared by its neighbor. There may be a title in Group B5 which is essential in a given library and should be purchased along with other titles in the "first purchase" list (Group B1). In other words, this priority ranking of sources is designed to offer guidance in building the reference collection and should not be viewed as a rigid selection plan.

This manual is designed to meet the basic needs which libraries of all sizes share. All libraries, however, have special requirements which cannot be met by the basic reference books listed in Selecting and Using a Core-Reference Collection, 2nd edition. Reference Books for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries, 2nd edition, by Margaret Irby Nichols, also published and distributed by the Texas State Library, is designed to meet more specialized and advanced needs. If a source containing criticism of American literature, or a work focusing on African , the environment, or AIDS is required, the selector should turn to the more extensive manual for suggestions The larger manual includes specialized reference tools covering social issues and subject areas which are popular in public libraries of all sizes

40 PURCHASE PLAN

A. Continuations and Encyclopedias

Group Al, purchase or acquire annually

Abridged Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature (A8) Chilton's Auto Repair Manual (Q7) City directory (local), if available (A4) College catalogs of local and nearby community and four-year colleges and universities, and major universities in the state (L2) Complete Car Cost Guide (N2) Consumer Information Catalog (N3) Consumer Reports Buying Guide Issue (N4) Current Biography (B2) Information Please Almanac (Al)) Information Please Sports Almanac (P3) J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax (M4) Occupational Outlook Quarterly (L3) Telephone directories--local and nearby towns and cities (A6) Texas State Directory (J9) World Factbook (J2) and/or Background Notes on the Countries of the World CI) World Almanac (A3)

Group A2, purchase biennially

Comparative Guide to Colleges ((L1) Occupational Outlook Handbook (L3) Official Congressional Directory (J5) Texas Almanac (A2) Texas Legislative Handbook (J8)

Group A3, purchase or acquire every 2-3 years (every year, if funding permits)

Franchise Opportunities Handbook (M2) Hoover's Handbook of American Business (M3) Maps of Texas, local and nearby counties and cities, large cities (K4) National Five Digit ZIP Code and Post Office Directory (A4) Rand McNally Road Atlas (K3) Statistical Abstracts (HI) U.S. Government Manual (J6) Group A4, purchase every 5-6 years (more often if funds permit)

Encyclopedia Americana (A6) World Book Encyclopedia (A7)

B. One-Time Purchases

Group Bl, recommended first purchases

American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine (Q2) Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia (El ) Complete Guide to Prescription and Nonprescription Drugs (Q5) Facts about the President (J3) Familiar Quotations (E13) Harper's Bible Dictionary (C3) How Congress Works (J4) How to Write a Winning Resume (L4) A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses & Dissertations (D9) New Cosmopolitan World Atlas (K2) Oxford Companion to American Literature (E6) Parent's Desk Reference (Q6) Random House Dictionary of the of the English Language, 2d ed. (D1) Reader's Companion to American History (G6) Roget's International Thesaurus (D4) Texas Law in Layman's Language (J10) Webster's Dictionary of English Usage (D8) Webster's New Biographical Dictionary (B4) Webster's New Dictionary of Synonyms (D5) Webster's New Geographical Dictionary (K1) Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (D3) Where to Write for Vital Statistics (A5)

Group B2

Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature (E2) Elements of Style (D7) Emily Post's Etiquette (N6) Encyclopedia of American Facts & Dates (G5) Guide to Texas State Agencies (J7) Halliwell's Film Guide (F9) Halliwell's Filmgoers & Video Viewers Companion (F10) Handbook of Denominations (C2) Handbook of Texas (G7) Les Brown's Encyclopedia of Television (F8)

42 Mary Ellen's Clean House (N8) Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia (F1) Webster's New World Dictionary (D2)

Group B3

Concise Dictionary of American Biography (B1) Encyclopedia of World History (G1) Facts on File Dictionary of Religion (C1) Guinness Book of Sports Records (P2) McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science & Technology (Q1) Norton/Grove Concise Encyclopedia of Music (F4) 10,000 Garden Questions Answered by 20 Experts (N7) Twentieth Century Authors (E7) and Supplement I (E8) Webster's New World Secretarial Handbook (M5) World Authors (E9-E12)

Group B4

Atlas of Amen. n History (G4) Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable (E3) Concise Oxford Companion to American 'Theatre (F6) Family Fun & Games (P1) Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology & Legend (CS) Handbook of Literature (E5) Historical Tables (G2) New Dictionary of American Slang (D6) Oxford Companion to Popular Music (F5) Oxford Companion to the Decorative Arts (F3) Riddick's Rules of Procedure (J11) Webster's American Biographies (B3)

Group B5

Atlas of World History (G3) Anniversaries & Holidays (NI) Black s Law Dictionary (J10) or Law Dictionary (note following J10) Black's Medical Dictionary (Q4) Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre (F7) Dictionary of Fictional Characters (E4) 1-listorical Atlas of Texas (G8) Joy of Cooking (N5) Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Myths & Legends (C6) Oxford Dictionary of Art (F2) Rules of the Game (P4) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (C4)

5 443 SECTION III: REFERENCE BOOK EXERCISES

J;) INTRODUCTION

In the first section of this guide, a core reference collection is identified and described. The exercises in this section are to provide practice in using some of these works to answer questions.

Reference books of all types contain an abundance of information, much of which the title indicates; e.g., National Five Digit ZIP Code and Post Office Directory, Occupational Outlook Handbook. Other data included may not be evident from the title or from general knowledge about the type of source.

Most encyclopedia users expect to find an article about the American Revolution or a biographical entry for a well-known historical figure, but may not know that the set also contains instructions for playing canasta and oth-r games, concise summaries of literary classics and operas, or maps of major cities of the world.

Those using a dictionary like Webster's New World Dictionary may not know that many fact-type queries can be answered there in; the size of the Kalahari desert plateau in South Africa, the monetary unit of Togo, or the distance from the earth to the sun.

One learns the value of reference works by analyzing the purpose and scope of each type-- dictionaries, thesauri, quotation books, etc.--and by a careful examination of each individual work. To use the source effectively, one must know the kind of information it includes, the !evil of the material provided, how it is arranged, and how to access the information it contains.

The first step in assisting a library user is to determine his/her need. The exchange between librarian and patron, called the reference interview, is essential to clarify the question- -learn what information the user wants, the amount that is needed, the type of material that is acceptable, and its level and difficulty.

The next step is helping the patron to find the needed information. To assist him/her, one must be well acquainted with the library's entire collection. Information needs are not always served by a reference work, but may be answered by any reliable source the library holds. Reference works are volumes (or sets) compiled specifically to provide data on a subject in a format which facilitates ease in use. Reference works are often used to answer questions, because such sources are designed for that purpose.

When the need is for a fact or brief information, a specific volume often comes to mind. Someone needs statistics on literacy (World A'anac), the dates of a historical figure (Webster's Biographical Dictionary), or the distance between Fort Worth and El Paso (Rand McNally Road Atlas). Some answers are not that obvious and require consulting numerous sources before learning which contains the answer. Often the patron is researching a topic and requires a number of articles or books, a demand which involves use of a periodical index (Abridged Readers' Guide) and the library's own catalog. There is no substitute for knowledge of the collection in deciding what source(s) to search.

45 56 Once the source(s) to be used is identified, one must decide how to search it--whether to look in the alphabetical sequence or the index, and what heading to look under. The procedure varies with the type of book, but once learned, can be used time and again in finding the answers to similar questions. One looks in the index to the World Almanac under "Addresses--associations and societies" and discovers that it refers to a directory of several hundred organizations. The listing, however, is alphabetical by key subject word which may not be the first word in the organization's name--"American Heart Association" is under "Heart Association, American." The searcher not only knows, therefore, that this useful listing is in the World Almanac, but how to use it when answering similar queries in the future.

The key words in the query often match up with those used in the reference tool. For the question "What is the Federal Reserve System?" one looks under "Federal Reserve System" in the alphabetical sequence in the encyclopedia. When asked to compare the calcium content of yogurt and cottage cheese, one may decide to look for a nutritional chart in a book on nutrition or in an almanac and then see if the foods in question are listed, or look for an article on calcium in the encyclopedia in the hope that specific foods are compared. If these searches are unsuccessful, one must reanalyze the question, but the topic of interest is obviously the nutritional value of specific foods.

The questions in eight of the exercises which follow direct the searcher to specific tools or types of tools and are intended to provide practice in using the sources named. The exercises also are designed to demonstrate the variety of types of information they contain.

Examine carefully the sources to be used before beginning the exercise. Determine each work's scope (usually explained in the preface) and what type of information it contains. Observe how it is arranged (the table of contents will be useful), and if it is indexed. Determine how important it is to use the index in finding information. Turn through the work, scanning and reading, and become familiar with the content.

Read the brief comments on the type of reference tool at the beginning of each exercise. There also are helpful hints included for many questions. Analyze the question, determine which source to use, what to look under, and seek an answer to the query. If you do not find the answer, look at the question (and the hint) again and decide what other approach(s) could be used. All the questions are answerable in the sources cited.

46 57 S. ALMANACS

Use current editions of World Almanac and Book of Facts, Information Please Almanac, and Texas Almanac and State Industrial Guide to answer the questions below.

Almanacs are compendiums of useful data on events, people, and topics from aernspace to the World Series, and statistics on a wide variety of topics--health, election results, population, countries of the world, etc. World Almanac and Information Please Almanac are international in scope, but with emphasis on the United States. Texas Almanac provides coverage of state history, environment, politics and government, recreation, and numerous other topics.It, too, includes a wealth of statistical data in concise format--lists, charts, tables, etc.--with little discussion of the material provided. All almanacs contain a wealth of material.

It is essential to use the index to find information in any almanac. (Note that the index to the World Almanac and Information Please Almanac is in the front of the volume.) Look in the index under what you consider to be the topic of the question. If a reference is not found, think of synonyms or broader/narrower terms. Information often is indexed under more than one topic. The list of all persons who have served as Secretary of Agriculture, for example, is indexed in the World Almanac under:

"Agriculture, Department of -- Secretaries" "Secretaries, U.S.--U.S. Cabinets (1789-1992)" "Cabinet members, U.S.--1789-1992" "United States of America--Cabinets"

Before beginning the exercise, examine each work carefully. Much that is in the almanac is what one may expect, but there will be surprises. A high percentage of fact-type questions asked by patrons can be answered by an almanac.

1. Who served as Secretary of State under President Lyndon Johnson? (See example above.)

2. What is the address of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges? (See comment on "addresses" in the introduction to this section.)

3. What classes of persons are prohibited from voting by the Texas Constitution? (Note that the Texas Constitution has its own index.)

4. Who is City Manager for Galveston, Texas?

5. On what day of the week were you born? (You are looking for a perpetua! calendar.)

6. What are the four state holidays for Texas? 7 What do these economic terms mean: key leading indicators, supply-side economics? (You are looking for a glossary of economic terms.)

Have the personal consumption expenditures for tobacco products increased or decreased over the last few years? (You are looking for statistics on personal consumption.)

9. Are campsites providing electricity and showers available at Pedernales Falls (Texas) State Park?

10. The term for a group of geese is a "gaggle of geese." What is the collective term for a group of whales or seals? (Look under animals.)

11. Find a list of the members of the texas State Board of Pardons and Paroles. What salary do they receive?

12. Can a human being run faster than a wart hog?

13. How frequently is the bite of a copperhead fatal?

14. According to American Kennel Club statistics, which dog is more popular, the Dalmatian or the Boxer?

15. Has the percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections increased or decreased during the last twenty years? (Elections is the principal topic.)

16. Which has the higher crime rate, Dallas County or Harris County, Texas?

17. What is the quality of life (literacy rate, life expectancy, per capita income, etc.) for Libya? (Search the information on Libya for the answers.)

18. What significant historical events occurred in the U.S. the year you were born? (You are looking for a chronology.)

19. Find an article on Texas literature in which , Fred Gipson, and Shelby Hearon are included.

20. What are the ZIP and telephone-ea code numbers for Luling, Texas? T. PERIODICAL INDEXES

Use the Abridged Readers' Guide, or the longer version, if your library subscribes to it, to answer the following questions.

Periodical indexes provide access to the articles contained in a selected group of magazines or journals. Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, and its shorter version, Abridged Readers' Guide, index popular periodicals, which are those most likely to be found in public libraries. Since news, fashion, sports, women's and men's magazines, etc. all contain information on current topics, they are important sources for today's issues and interests. Readers' Guide indexes each article by author and subject in one alphabet; book reviews constitute a separate section, arranged alphabetically by author. Standard subject headings, supported by numerous see and see also references, give easy access to information.

Before beginning the exercise, read the explanatory material in the front of each issue, noting the list of periodicals indexed, the abbreviations used, and other data. This introduction holds the answers to the first two questions.

1. How would you explain the purpose and organization of the index?

2. How would you explain a citation to a library patron? (Be sure to include format and abbreviations.)

Has Consumer Reports had an article on the nutritional value of breakfast cereals over the last several years?

4. Identify an article about Billy Crystal that appeared in McCall's within the last several years.

5. Cite some articles which would be useful to a patron who wants to learn about investing in mutual funds.

6. Find a review of a recent movie of your choice. (Reviews for movies are not under the name of the film, but are entered under a general heading like book reviews noted above.)

7 Find some articles which oppose the use of animals in scientific experimentation.

8. Find an article about the pros and cons of purchasing prescription drugs across the border in Mexico. U. BIOGRAPHY

Use Current Biography, Concise Dictionary of American Biography, Webster's Biographical Dictionary, or other biographical sources your library holds to answer the following questions. Since famous and influential people in history and some current figures can be found in general encyclopedias, you may also use Encyclopedia Americana, World Book, or other sets to find answers.

Current Biography includes living persons throughout the world who are of general interest- - government officials, music and film personalities, professional athletes, writers, etc.If your library contains back issues of Current Biography, you may also use them for persons who were prominent in the past.

Concise Dictionary of American Biography covers significant historical figures in our country's history.

Webster's Biographical Dictionary includes historical figures and current personalities around the world.

Before beginning this exercise, examine each of the sources named above. Note the types and amount of information that each provides. Each is arranged alphabetically by name, but appendix material (or material located in the back) often supplements the biographical entries.

Note that Current Biography, the only one of the three biographical sources that is indexed, provides in each monthly issue indexing for previous issues for that year, and annual volumes index several prior years. Current Biography also is the only one which gives address information.

1. Find some information about the man who founded the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency during the 19th century. (Assume his name is Pinkerton.)

2. Larry McMurtry, the noted Texas author, owns several bookstores. Where are they located?

3 Who was President Harry Truman's Secretary of State? (Appendix information may help here.)

4. Was The Last Days of Pompeii the only novel Edward George Earle Bulwer-Lytton wrote?

S. Who did Judith of the Apocrypha kill to save her people?

6. Where did Rue McClanahan (Blanche Devereaux of the "Golden Girls") grow up?

50 What is known about the 17th-century Indian Chief Powhatan?

If a fan wished to write to Judy Blume, the writer, where should the letter be sent?

When in 1989 did Irving Stone, the writer, die? V. ENCYCLOPEDIAS

Use Encyclopedia Americana and World Book Encyclopedia to answer the questions below.

Encyclopedias are an ideal reference tool, since they contain survey articles on numerous topics, explanatory materials, and data on people, places, and historical events. They answer questions of the who, what, why, and how variety. Due to rapid changes in today's world, especially in science and technology, encyclopedias quickly become dated; a ten-year-old set is filled with an abundance of outdated and incorrect information. It is important that libraries provide patrons with recent and accurate data.

Note the important of the index. Although the volumes are alphabetically arranged and contain frequent see and see also references, most articles include numerous names and events that cannot be found via the alphabetical arrangement. A good index which cites such information is essential to effective use of these works.

Note that many articles are supported by bibliographies which cite additional material on the subject. If the library does not hold the works cited, they can be borrowed on interlibrary loan. World Book is supplemented by a study guide which contains bibliographies and other information of interest to the user.

Both of these sets are specific entry in approach. Instead of one long article on the history of the United States, for example, each topic is covered separately in alphabetical sequence. Illustrations are numerous--photographs, reproductions of paintings, diagrams, charts, maps, etc--each of which is indexed. The maps, a valuable asset, are of various types--political, topical (weather, land use, etc.), topographical (surface features), historical, and economic.

Although the World Book is designed for children and young adults, it is also useful for adults seeking factual data on a topic about which they have limited knowledge. Reference librarians consider World Book an indispensable tool for facts, "how-to" instructions, illustrations, and many other types of material. Americana is especially strong in American history, biography, and geography, but it, too, is international (like World Book) in coverage and includes reliable information on all branches of the world's accumulated knowledge.

Both sets include an abundance of unexpected material. These questions are designed show the many uses of these encyclopedias and to improve skills in using them. For many of these questions, first consult the index.

1. Find an explanation for scoring in bowling. (Note the "how-to" information noted above.)

2. What beliefs are codified in Malleus Maleficarum?

3. Should one apply heat or cold to a sprain? (Same suggestion as in #1.)

52

63 4. Find a map of Bulgaria on which the city of Slivens can be located.

5. What do the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse symbolize?

6. Does one article in the Americana include all the information the set contains on the Hegira?

7 How are cereals puffed?

8. Find information on The Maid's Tragedy, a 17th-century English play by Beaumont and Fletcher.

9. Does World Book have an article on abortion? If so, does it present unbiased coverage of the topic?

10. Locate Florence, on a map.

11. Find an illustration of the human respiratory system. (Illustrations are indexed.)

12. How is the name Asclepius, the god of healing in Greek mythology, pronounced?

13. In which of Cotton Mather's writings did he use the "character" technique (a sketch describing a person characterized by a distinctive quality)? The index may help.

14. Find a map which traces Captain James Cook's three great voyages.

15. Find a picture of the statue of Evangeline, about whom Longfellow wrote a narrative poem set in the Bayou Teche in Louisiana.

16. Find a reproduction of a Picasso painting.

17. Find a survey article on temples of the ancient world.

18. Find a bibliography on Ancient Greece.

19. What are the colors, uses, and size of East Friesian horses?

20. Find a map of a European city.

53 W. STATISTICAL SOURCES

Use Statistical Abstracts of the United States, World Almanac, Information Please Almanac, and Texas Almanac to answer the questions below.

Almanacs are useful for finding the most commonly sought statistics: population, births and deaths, sports records, etc. Those listed for this exercise are the subject of Exercise S. Statistical Abstracts of the United States provides information on narrow topics. One finds statistics on female heads of households in the almanacs. Statistical Abstracts, however, will list further break downs on the topic by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, number in the family, ages of children, and status (husband absent, widowed, etc.). Almanacs list overall statistics on abortion, but Statistical Abstracts gives abortion figures by age, race, marital status, number of prior births, and weeks of gestation. Almanacs, therefore, are a good place to begin a search for statistical data, but if they do not provide the answer, check Statistical Abstracts, the most extensive collection of its type on the United States.

Study Statistical Abstracts before beginning this exercise. Note that each table cites the source of the data, and that notes explain how to interpret the tables. The detailed index, as usual, is an important part of the source and must be consulted to locate appropriate data.

What is the median educational level of jail inmates? What percentage were employed when arrested? (Look under prisoner or related terms.)

2. What is the average salary of farm workers? Is the average income for black farm workers higher than that of Hispanics?

3. Which industry spends more money on advertising, tobacco or alcoholic beverages?

4. What percentage of elementary school children in metropolitan areas are bussed to school?

5. How does the gross national product (GNP) of the United States compare with that of the Philippines? (Remember that almanacs are international in coverage.)

6. How much has the per capita income in Texas increased since 1980? What percentage of the population is below poverty level?

7. How does the number of women in the labor force in 1960 compare with that of the early 1980's? What percentage of the entire female population are working women now and then? (Statistical Abstracts provides coverage for the previous 15-20 years on many topics.)

54 6 5 X. ATLASES AND GAZETTEERS

The atlas suggested for this exercise is New Cosmopolitan World Atlas, but any comparable atlas, such as those named in the note on page 29, could be substituted. You also may use encyclopedias (Encyclopedia Americana and World Book) which also include excellent maps. Some questions may be answered using Webster's New Geographical Dictionary.

1. When it is midnight in Dallas, Texas, what time is it in Florence, Italy? (Look for time- zone maps.)

2. What is the distance in miles between Little Diomede Island and Saint Paul Island? (Interpret the map's mileage bar.)

3. Find a depiction of the Northern Sky.

4. How many states have a Jefferson County?

5. How large is Bermuda? Is it a British colony?

6. Locate the Canadian Lesser Slave Lake.

7 Find maps that supply the following information about Peru: land use, vegetation, minerals, religion, population density.

8. Which is closer to downtown Chicago, O'Hare or Midway Airport? (Maps of major cities are included in most atlases.)

9. Is there a highway between Mookini Heiau and Puukohola Heiau, ?

10. How many Bear Islands are there?

55 Y. DICTIONARIES

One uses general language dictionaries most frequently to/find definitions, spellings, and pronunciations. A good dictionary,. however, includes other useful data: etymologies (which often provide a better understanding of the word's meaning), synonyms and antonyms, variant spellings; and grammar. Foreign words and phrases often used in English, common abbreviations, and slang words and expressions usually are included. Some g 'neral dictionaries contain major place names--cities, historical locations, rivers, mountains, and other geographic features--and major personal names--authors, historical figures, Biblical and mythological names. Entries sometimes provide unusual data; e.g., the height and other differences between African and Indian elephants, an explanation of the death rattle A typical appendix includes non-dictionary type information--lists of colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, a punctuation guide, manuscript forms, proofreaders' marks, tables'of weights and measures, and signs and symbols.

Special-purpose dictionaries supplement general works. Thesauri and synonym dictionaries identify words with the same or similar meanings. A thesaurus groups words and phrases around a concept or idea; words are listed, but their meanings, similarities,and differences are not discussed. For most synonyms dictionaries discriminate among meanings and offer guidance in using words. Slang dictionaries provide more extensive coverage of this specialized vocabulary and idioms, informal language outside standard usage. Usage dictionaries provide advice on good and bad language usage. Style manuals offer help in matters concerning formal writing- - capitalization, punctuation, footnote and bibliographic style.

Use any of the dictionaries in your library to answer the following questions; those listed in Section D will be especially useful. Note that some dictionaries include proper nouns and foreign words and phrases in the regular alphabet, while others have a separate section for this type of entry.

Is the word "candidacy- American in origin? (Determine how dictionaries indicate this type of origin.)

2. Use the word "crepuscular" in a sentence.

3 Is the opossum a marsupial?

4. What does the italicized word mean in this sentence: "As a Senator, he abused the .frankingprivilege." (Read through the entire entry.)

5. What causes Bang's disease in cattle?

6. In what Shakespearean play does Banquo appear, and what is his role?

7. What is the correct pronunciation for the word "orator"? (Check the detailed pronunciation guide in the front.)

56 6 8. How do the following words, usually listed as synonyms, differ in meaning: punish, discipline, correct, chastise, castigate, chasten?

9. What are Brobdingnags and how tall are they?

10. Find a list of synonyms or related words for "passive."

11. How many words are listed in Basic English? From what is the word "basic" derived in this instance?

12. How does the derivation (etymology) of the word "fraternal" help one to understand its meaning?

13. What is the weight span for bantam weight boxers?

14. What is the weight of a "point" in jewelry?

15. Where in the Bible is the expression "baptism of fire" used?

16. Where is the Banda Sea?

17. Who was Joseph Jacques Cesaire Joffre?

18. What are the names of the books in the Old Testament Apocrypha of the Bible?

19. What does "ad litteram" mean?

20. Explain the acronym ESOP.

57 CjJ Z. QUOTATION SOURCES

Use Bartlett's Familiar Quotations to answer the questions below.

Before beginning the exercise, examine Bartlett's and observe the arrangement: the main body begins with quotes from the Bible and other holy books, followed by quotations of individuals, listed chronologically by birth dates, and concluding with anonymous sayings, spirituals, shanties, nursery rhymes, ballads, etc. An index provides access by all key words. It is important that one observe the footnotes, which provide such information on the evolution of a statement. The Kaufman and Hart title "You Can't Take It with You," for example, is derived from the ancient Egyptian Song of the Harper, the Bible, and Theognis. The alphabetical list of notables quoted is located in the front.

1. After the "Bay of Pigs" incident in Cuba (1961), President John F. Kennedy is quoted as saying that "Victory has a hundred fathers and defeat is an orphan." What is the origin of that statement? (Note the source in the footnote.)

2. During World War II, American soldiers frequently wrote "Kilroy was here" on buildings, fences, street signs, etc. as they advanced through Europe. What did it mean?

3. Where in the Bible is the plea: "Keep me as the apple of thy eye"?

Find Martin Luther King's famous quote about going to the mountain. (The alphabetical list of person's quoted is helpful.)

5. What cowboy ballad is this line from: "Beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly; play the Death March as you carry me carry me along"?

6. Fin 1 the epitaph Benjamin Franklin wrote for himself.

7. What is the expression often used in treaties with Indians' (It usually is combined with "as long as the rivers flow.")

8. What is the probable origin of Ernest Hemingway's book title, A Moveable Feast?

9. What did Louie Armstrong answer when asked to explain jazz?

10. There is a rhyme abut what the bells of London say--Old Bailey, Shoreditch, etc. Can you find it?

58 6 AA. GENERAL

Use any holdings in your library to answer the following questions:

1. How does the number of businesses owned by Hispanics compare with the number owned by blacks? (statistical sources.)

2. Was the novel Mutiny on the Bounty based on an actual event?

3. When did Samuel Colt invent the revolver? (biography or encyclopedia)

4. Name the parent company which owns Pampers and give its address.

5. Assist a patron who needs information on the earthquake in Mexico City in 1985--number of deaths, magnitude of the earthquake.

6. In what states are located the greatest number of hazardous waste sites which pose the gravest threats to public health?

7 How long is the nose of the Stature of Liberty? (encyclopedia or almanac)

8. What are the largest cities in Honduras?

9. What is the toll-free telephone number for the Cancer Information Service in the National Institute of Health?

10. What is the name and size of the island on which Sitka, is located?

11. To whom did President Bush present a Presidential Medal of Freedom Award in 1992?

12. Find a table of stress factors (social situations which create stress).

13. Does have a state income tax? If so, what is it?

14. What does the Japanese greeting "banzai" mean?

15. What is the size of the Bayeux Tapestry and what does it depict? (encyclopedia)

16. Why did the Fmancipation Proclamation have no effect in ? (encyclopedia)

17. What historical figure was nicknamed Barbarossa?

18. Who wrote the song "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia"? (quotations)

59 TITLE INDEX

-A-

Abridged Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. A10 Academic American Encyclopedia. n. p.3 American Authors: 1600-1900. n. p.15 American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. n. p.10 American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine. Q2 American Medical Association Handbook of First Air & Emergency Care. Q3 Americana Annual. n. p.3 Analytical Concordance to the "Revised Standard Version" of the New Testament. n. p.8 Anniversaries & Holidays. N1 Atlas of American History. G4 Atlas of World History. G3

-B-

Background Notes on. the Countries of the World. J1 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges. n. p.29 Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia. E 1 Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature. E2 Best's Key Rating guide. n. p.32 Black's Law Dictionary. J10 Black's Medical Dictionary. Q4 Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable. E3 Brewer's Dictionary of 20th Century Phrase & Fable. n. p.13 British Authors Before 1800. n. p.15 British Authors of the 19th Century. n..p.15

-C-

Chase's Annual Events. n. p.33 Children's Britannica. n. p.3 Chilton's Auto Repair Manual. Q7 Collier's Encyclopedia. n. p.3 Comparative Guide to American Colleges. LI Complete Book of U.S. Presidents. n. p.24 Complete Car Cost Book. N2 Complete Directory of Prime Time Network TV Shows, 1946-Present. n. p.19 Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual. N8 Complete Guide to Prescription and Nonprescription Drugs. Q5 Composers Since 1900. n. p.18 Composers Since 1900. First Supplement. n. p 18

60

1-.4 ( -4- Compton's Encyclopedia. n. p.3 Concise Dictionary of American Biography. B1 Concise Oxford Companion to American Literature. E6 Concise Oxford Companion to American Theatre. F6 Concise Oxford Companion to the Theatre. F7 Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. n. p.14 Consumer Information Catalog.. N3 Consumer Reports Books Guide to Income Tax Preparation. n. p.32 Consumer Reports Buying Guide Issue. N4 Cover Letters That Knock 'Em Dead. n. p.30 County & City Data Book. n. p.22 Current Biography. B2

-D-

Dictionary of American Biography. n. p.5 Dictionary of Comparative Religion. n. p.7 Dictionary of Fictional Characters. E4 Dictionary of Quotations from the Bible. n. p.8

-E-

Elements of Style. D7 Emily Post's Etiquette. N6 Encyclopedia of American Facts & Dates. G5 Encyclopedia Americana. A8 Encyclopedia of World History. G I Essential Guide to Nonprescription Drugs. n. p.38 Essential Guide to Prescription Drugs. n. p.38 European Authors: 1000-1900. n. p.15

-F-

Facts About the Presidents. J3 Facts on File Dictionary of Religion. Cl Facts on File Encyclopedia of World Mythology & Legend. n. p.8 Familiar Quotations. El3 Family Fun & Games. P 1 Finance & Investment Handbook. M I Franchise Opportunities Handbook. M2 Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, & Legend. C5

61 -G-

Goode's World Atlas. n. p.27 Great Composers, 1300-1900. n. p.18 Greek and Latin Authors: 800 B.C.-A.D. 1000. n. p.15 Guide to Basic Resume Writing. n. p.30 Guide to Texas State Agencies. J7 Guinness Book of Sports Records. P2

-H-

Halliwell's Film Guide. F9 Halliwell's Filmgoer's & Video Viewer's Companion. FIO Hammond Atlas of the World. n. p.27 Handbook of Denominations in the United States. C2 Handbook for Everyone Interested in Managing their Personal Finances. n. p.31 Handbook of Literature. E5 Handbook of Texas. G7 Handbook of the Nations. n. p.23 Harper's Bible Commentary. n. p.8 Harper's Bible Dictionary. C.3 Harper's Dictionary of Contemporary Usage. n. p.11 Heloise A to Z. n. p.35 Historical Statistics of the United States. n. p.22 Historical Atlas of Texas. G8 Historical Tables. G2 Hoover's Handbook of American Business. M3 Hoover's Handbook of World Business. M3 How Congress Works. J4 How to Clean Practically Anything. n. p.35 How to Live and Die with Texas Probate. n. p.25 How to Write Winning Resumes. L4

-I-

Information Please Almanac. A 1 Information Please Sports Almanac. P3 International Dictionary of 20th Century Biography. n. p.6

-J-

J.K. Lasser's Your Income Tax. M4 Joy of Cooking. N5 -L-

Law Dictionary. n. p.25 Les Brown's Encyclopedia of Television. F8 Lovejoy's College Guide. n. p.29

-M-

Macmillan Illustrated Encyclopedia of Myths & Legends. C6 Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, & Dissertations. D7 Mary Ellen's Clean House. N9 McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science & Technology. Ql Merit Student Encyclopedia. n. p.3 MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. n. p.12 Moody's Investment Service. n. p.32 Musicians Since 1900. n. p.18

-N-

National Five Digit ZIP Code & Post Office Directory. AS National Geographic Atlas of the World. n. p.27 New Book of Knowledge. n. p.3 New Cosmopolitan World Atlas. K2 New Dictionary of American Slang. D6 New Encyclopaedia Britannica. n. p.3 New York Times Atlas of the World. n. p.27 Newsmakers. n. p.5 Norton/Grove Concise Encyclopedia of Music. F4 Notable American Women, 1607-1950. n. p.5 Notable American Women: The Modern Period. n. p.5

-O-

Occupational Outlook Handbook. L3 Official Congressional Directory. J5 Oxford Book of Modern Quotations. n. p.15 Oxford Companion to American Literature. E6 Oxford Companion to English Literature. n. p.14 Oxford Companion to Popular Music. F5 Oxford Companion to the Decorative Arts. F3 Oxford Companion to Twentieth Century Art. n. p.17 Oxford Dictionary of Art. F2 Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia. Fl

63 7 -P-

Parent's Desk Reference. Q6 Peterson's Guide to Four-Year Colleges. n. p.29 Physician's Desk Reference n. p.38

Rand McNally Road Atlas. K3 Random House Dictionary of the English Language. DI Random House Webster's College Dictionary. n. p.10 Reader's Companion to American History. G6 Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. A10 Respectfully Quoted. n. p.16 Riddick's Rules of Procedure. J11 Robert's Rules of Order. n. p.26 Roget's International Thesaurus. D4 Rule of the Game. P4

-S-

Standard & Poor's. n. p.32 State & Metropolitan Area Data Book. n. p.22 Statesman's Year-Book. n. p.23 Statistical Abstracts of the United States. HI Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. C4 Summary c' Enactments, Legislature. n. p.25

-T-

10,000 Garden Questions Answered by 20 Experts. N7 Texas Almanac. A2 Texas Law in Layman's Language. J10 Texas Legislative Handbook. J8 Texas State Directory. J9 Thomas Register of American Manufacturers. n. p.32 12,000 Words. n. p.9 Twentieth Century Authors. E7 Twentieth Century Authors. Supplement I. E8 Texas Almanac. A2

-U-

U.S. Government Manual. J6 Universal Almanac. n. p.1

64 7 5 -V-

Value Line Investment Survey. n. p.32

-W-

Webster's American Biographies. B3 Webster's Dictionary of English Usage. D8 Webster's New Biographical Dictionary. B4 Webster's New Dictionary of Synonyms. D5 Webster's New Geographical Dictionary. K 1 Webster's New World Dictionary. D2 Webster's New World Secretarial Handbook. M5 Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictionary. D3 Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language. What Happened When. G5 Where to Write for Vital Records. A7 Who's Who in America. n. p.6 World Almanac. A3 World Almanac Biographical Dictionary. n. p.6 World Authors. E9-E12 World Book Annual. n. p.3 World Book Encyclopedia. A9 World Factbook. J2

-Y-

Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. n. p.7

65 7 SUBJECT INDEX

-A- -F-

Almanacs, p. 1 Fictional characters, pp. 13 Anniversaries, p. 33 Film, p. 19 Art, p. 17 Finance, p. 31 Art, Decorative, p. 17 Fine arts, p. 17 Atlases, p. 27 Atlases, historical, pp. 20 -G- Authors, pp. 14-15 Automobiles, pp. 33, 38 Gardening, p. 34 Gazetteers, p. 27 -B- Geography, pp. 27-28 Government, Texas, pp. 24-25 Bibles, pp. 7-8 Government, U.S., p. 23-24 Biography, pp. 5-6 Government, world, p. 23 Business, pp. 31-32 Grammar, pp. 11-12, 29-30

-C- -H-

Careers, pp. 29-30 Health, pp. 37-38 Child care, p. 38 History, Texas, pp. 1, 21 Churches, p. 7 History, U.S., pp. 20-21 Cities, p. 22 History, world, p. 20 Colleges, p. 29 Holidays, p. 33 Composers, p. 17-18 Home maintenance, p. 34-35 Congress, U.S., p. 24 Consumer information, pp. 33 -I- Cooking, p. 34 Income tax, pp. 31-32 -D- Insurance, p. 33 Investments, pp. 31-32 Dictionaries, pp. 9-10 Dictionaries, foreign language, -L- p. 10 Drugs, pp. 37-38 Language dictionaries, pp. 9-10 Language usage, p. 11 -E- Law, p. 25 Law, Texas, p. 25 Education, p. 29 Legends, pp. 8 Encyclopedia annuals, p. 3 Literary terms, p. 14 Encyclopedias, pp. 2-3 Literature, pp. 13-16 Etiquette, p. 34

66 7 7 -M- -S-

Manufacturers, p. 32 Science, p. 37 Maps, p. 28 Secretarial handbooks, p. 32 Mechanics, pp. 38 Slang, p. 11 Music, p. 17-18 Sports, p. 36 Mythology, p. 8 Statistics, p. 22 Statistics, Texas, p. 1 -O- Style manuals, p. 11-12 Synonym dictionaries, pp. 10 Occupations, p. 29 -T- -P- Technology, pp. 37 Parenting, p. 38 Telephone directories, p. 2 Parliamentary procedure, p. 26 Television, p. 19 Periodical indexes, p. 4 Theater, pp. 18 Political science, pp. 23-26 Prescriptions, p. 38 -U- Presidents, U.S., pp. 23-24 Universities, p. 29 -Q- Usage dictionaries, p. 11

Quotations, pp. 8, 15-16 -V-

-R- Video, p. 19 Vital records, p. 2 Recreation, p. 36 Religion, pp. 7-8 -W- Repair, automobile, p. 38 Repair, household, p. 34-35 Women, p. 5 Resumes, p. 29-30 Writers, pp. 14-15

-Z-

ZIP codes, p. 2